scottish natural heritage autumn / winter 2013 the … meagaidh revival reserve bumblebees...

Creag MeagaidhRevival Reserve

BumblebeesChallenging times

Ocean odysseyAtlantic salmon research

The Nature of ScotlandScottish Natural Heritage Autumn / Winter 2013

www.snh.gov.uk 1

Contents

4 30

26

Features 10 Year of Natural Scotland Highlights from a busy year

12 The John Muir Way Marking John Muir’s legacy

15 Choosing our tree Scotland prepares to select a national tree

16 Climate change How we can help nature adapt

18 Adder Man Norman Morrison’s amazing career

26 Wild Scotland The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland links with SNH

28 Tackling wildlife crime The role of the Wildlife Crime Education Officer

30 The art of the matter Derek Robertson, artist in residence at Tentsmuir NNR

49 Scottish ospreys in Spain Lending a hand with a Spanish reintroduction

50 History and nature in harmony Plants and animals on Historic Scotland sites

54 Lost at Sea ? Understanding the Atlantic salmon’s ocean odyssey

60 Bumblebees in the balance Working to reverse bumblebee decline

Regulars2 Where we are SNH contact details

3 Welcome

4 Wild calendar Where to go and what to see

this autumn and winter

20 Dualchas coitcheann /Common heritage Linking language and environment

22 News

36 Reserve focus Discover Creag Meagaidh NNR

42 Area news Reports from around the country

64 Mailing list Change your details or subscribe to our e-newsletter

18

10 50

54

Scotland’s nature blogWe have a variety of blogs for you to follow. Our Scotland’s nature blog covers a wide range of subjects, and recent posts have featured the flora of the Cairngorms National Park, the role of commercial dog walkers, nature photography and the last great auks. You can find a link to this blog at the foot of the homepage of our website.

Welcome

Susan DaviesDirector of Policy & AdviceScottish Natural Heritage

We’ve passed the mid point of 2013 Year of Natural Scotland. Celebrations, and opportunities to get involved, have been taking place across the country. We give a round-up of some of these events in this magazine. The debate on what you think your wildlife ‘Big 5’ should be also continues. Top of my list would be the magnificent gannet Morus bassanas which can be seen flying almost anywhere around our coasts, and especially when they migrate south between August and October. Scotland holds internationally important numbers of breeding seabirds but many are in decline. This is particularly so for those feeding mostly on small shoaling fish such as sandeels. These fish are susceptible to the warming of the sea as a result of climate change.

Professor Dave Goulson, in his article, tells us about a group of insects that are also affected by climate change. Bumblebees have some interesting physiological features that give them an in-built resilience to the extreme weather patterns occurring more frequently now as a result of climate change. They are a vital component of our natural word – essential for pollination – yet a range of pressures are affecting them. Dave gives us some advice on what to plant to attract bumblebees to our gardens. So, if you have a few minutes to spare why not get involved and do your bit to give our bumblebees a helping hand.

Getting involved is just what Andy Turner is doing in his role as a Special Constable for Wildlife Crime in Grampian. Sadly wildlife crime still occurs throughout Scotland but through education and action awareness is being raised and those who commit these crimes will be brought to justice. Andy tells us about his role in combatting wildlife crime.

There are a number of other ways in which you can get involved with nature in the Year of Natural Scotland, from naming our national tree to giving your views on how Scotland’s seas should be managed in the future. You can also comment on proposals for a suite of Marine Protected Areas in the seas around Scotland. Details of these and other opportunities are set out in the pages that follow. We hope you will give us your views about what matters to you and be inspired to get out and enjoy the nature on your doorstep over the coming months.

Credits

The Nature of ScotlandThe Magazine of Scottish Natural HeritageIssue Number 18 — Autumn / Winter 2013

Published twice per year© SNH 2013ISSN 1350 309X

Editor: Jim Jeffrey Tel. 01738 458528

Cover photo: Tree sparrow Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Inside cover photo: Winter trees Inside cover photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Welcome page photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Photography – all images by Lorne Gill/SNH other than Fergus Gill/2020Vision p6 top; Terry Whittaker/2020Vision 6 image 1 in strip, 7 image 2 in strip; Lorne Gill/2020Vision 6 image 2 in strip; Laurie Campbell 6 image 3 in strip, 7 images 3 and 4 in strip, 28, 53, 54, 58; Mark Hamblin/2020Vision 8, 36, 40; Becky Duncan/SNH 12 and 13, 23 left; Ingo Arndt/naturep1.com 17; FLPA/Alamy 24 left; Paul Naylor 24 right; Peter Cairns 26; David Whitaker 38 left, 60, 62; Mark H amblin 39; RSPB Scotland 42r: Celine Marchbank 43l; Guy Harewood/Stirling Council 43c; Doug Bartholomew 44l; Steven Duffield 44r; Dave Genney 44c; Peadar O’Connell 45c; National Museum of Scotland/Michael Coates 45r; Laurie Campbell 46l; Anne Elliot 46c; Vicky Stonebridge 46r; Claire Glaister 47l; Donald Fraser 47c; June Topping 48l; John Macpherson 48c; Graeme Walker 48r; David Tipling 49; Richard Shucksmith 50; Chris Gomersall/2020Vision 52; Rob Jordan/2020Vision 56; Deirdre Brennan, Castletown Productions 57; Cath Milne 59; Dave Goulson 63.

Illustrations on page 30 to 35 courtesy of Derek Robertson.

To share your views about The Nature of Scotland or suggest articles for future issues please contact the editor:

SNH MagazineBattleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWEmail: [email protected]

The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of SNH.

Printed by: J Thomson Colour Printers, GlasgowJTCP32k1013

When you’ve finished with this magazine, please recycle it. Pass it to another reader or dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.

Where we are…

You can contact SNH by letter, telephone or email. The following details should enable you to find your nearest main office, but bear in mind that we also have a number of offices smaller than those listed.

A full list of our offices appears on the SNH website: www.snh.gov.uk

Corporate headquarters

Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NWTel. 01463 725 000 Email: [email protected]

Other offices

Battleby, Redgorton, Perth PH1 3EW Tel. 01738 444 177

Silvan House, 3rd Floor East, 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

Caspian House, Mariner Court, Clydebank Business Park, Clydebank G81 2NR Tel. 0141 951 4488

Area offices

Argyll & Outer Hebrides32 Francis Street, Stornoway,Isle of Lewis HS1 2NDTel. 01851 705 258

ForthSilvan House, 3rd Floor East,231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

ForthThe Beta Centre, Innovation Park, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4NFTel. 01786 450 362

Northern Isles & North HighlandThe Links,Golspie Business Park,Golspie,Sutherland KW10 6UBTel. 01408 634 063

Northern Isles & North HighlandGround Floor, Stewart Building, Alexandra Wharf, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0LLTel. 01595 693 345

South HighlandFodderty Way, Dingwall Business Park,Dingwall IV15 9XBTel. 01349 865 333

South HighlandThe Governor’s House,The Parade, Fort William,Inverness-shire PH33 6BATel. 01397 704 716

Southern ScotlandGreystone Park, 55/57 Moffat Road,Dumfries DG1 1NPTel. 01387 272 440

Strathclyde & Ayrshire Caspian House, Mariner Court, Clydebank Business Park, Clydebank G81 2NR Tel. 0141 951 4488

Tayside & GrampianBattleby, Redgorton, Perth PH1 3EW Tel. 01738 444 177

Tayside & GrampianInverdee House,Baxter Street,Torry,Aberdeen AB11 9QATel. 01224 266 500

2 The Nature of Scotland

4 The Nature of Scotland www.snh.gov.uk 5

The sun is low in the sky now. All the better to backlight the changing tones of foliage and cast long shadows over browning grasses. This is the time to notice natural shifts, when each day can be different in sights, sounds and scents. Crunch a windfall apple as you walk; listen to the swish of leaves; breathe the mists of morning and evening to savour the earthy bite and brevity of it all.

Kenny Taylor gives some seasonal tips for savouring Scottish wildlife and landscapes A

utum

n

Sublime falls Places which are beautiful throughout the year can become even more impressive as autumn tints rise to full flood. Waterfalls in woodlands do this to perfection, cascading ribbons of white under flame-tones of foliage to plummet in dark plunge pools below.

The Birks of Aberfeldy, named for the nearby Perthshire village, blends woodland, gorge and falls. You can hike a circular walk of about 4km here to view colours and ogle the Falls of Moness from a bridge above the chasm in the flank of the hill.

Some 18th century visitors well-versed in the philosophy of art would have thought this prospect ‘sublime’, combining natural grandeur with a shiver of fear. Robert Burns came here then, and wrote a poem praising the braes that ‘ascend like lofty wa’s’ where the ‘foaming stream deep-roaring fa’s’.

There weren’t many birches (birks) here in Burns’ day, but he used the tune of ‘The Birks o’ Abergeldie’ (in Aberdeenshire) as inspiration, migrating the birches concept to suit. Both crafty and artful, was Rabbie.

Web tip www.perthshire.co.uk/index.asp?pg=327

Hurrah for hips There’s something beautiful about the way colours in nature grow stronger for a while as hours of daylight shorten. They blaze, blaze against the fading of the light.

Autumn’s many tints include those of vibrant-coloured rose fruits, both in garden varieties and on wild ‘dog roses’ along hedges. Not only do rose hips look good, they are also great food for birds such as greenfinches, which are expert at splitting them to reach the many seeds within. For people, these seeds have little value, although some children may still know how they make a very good itching agent when dry.

The seed-free pulp of rose hips is still used by some folk as a potent natural source of vitamin C. During World War Two, the British Government considered this to be such a useful substitute for citrus fruit (then in short supply) that it organised mass harvesting of hips. In places, organised collection continued for many years after the conflict, including by Scottish schoolchildren who earned a small fee for every paper bag of rose hips delivered to school.

Web tip http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_hip

Wild calendar


Aut

umn Winter

Dark until mid-morning, dark by mid-afternoon: now it’s natural to snuggle and watch the world through fogged windows. But cosiness inside can be all the better after a trip out to experience some winter wilds. The salt tang of surf along a North Sea shore; the sounds of grey geese going to roost; the tingle of snow on skin; the flicker of aurora in a northern sky – the stuff of fireside tales for seasons yet to come.

Song swans As the cuckoo is to spring, the whooper can be to autumn. The names of both birds carry echoes of their calls, one raising thoughts of lengthening days, the other a pale outrider of approaching dark.

Unlike the cuckoo, the whooper swan is a very rare breeder in Scotland, with barely a handful nesting in most years. So nigh-on every whooper that flocks here in autumn and winter is a migrant, from the Icelandic breeding population.

First arrivals in mid-September tend to be failed breeders and non-breeders. Then come the families, where white-plumaged parents travel with up to six dappled brown-and-white cygnets.

Counts of cygnets can give a measure of how good the breeding season has been in Iceland. That’s a useful statistic for international conservation workers. But aside from the science, it’s the sights and sounds of these beautiful birds that inspire.

When a group of wild swans flies near, pale wings beating slow, their calls rising in wild whoops to the stormy sky, you can sense the very essence of natural change.

Web tip www.wwt.org.uk and enter ‘whooper swan’ in search box.

Some other things to look for in autumn:Red deer stags roaring; salmon leaping at waterfalls; starling roost gatherings; colours of bramble leaves.

Six sides and no limits Snow. Some loathe it, more’s the pity, seeing snow only in terms of nuisance. Blocked roads, delayed trains, slushy pavements – so plough it, sweep it, push it away.

Others love it, knowing it can be the stuff of waking dreams. Fresh powder on a ‘bluebird’ day on a Scottish ski slope; conifers made magical with whitening; scope for sculpting and sliding.

And snowflakes. Every snowfall has countless millions of them, yet few of us take time to focus on their finer, astonishing details. So here’s a tip: if you’re in the snow-loving part of the population, go outside with a pocket magnifier in the next snowfall and stick your arm out for a few seconds.

If you can see some flakes, you’re in luck. Next step is to try to look at individual flakes through the magnifier.

Prepare to be amazed. You’ll see a six-sided structure, whose finest details may never have been observed in quite that combination. Linkage of water molecules is behind the symmetry. Complexity of freezing clouds boosts the variations. Natural art is the outcome.

Web tip www2.warwick.ac.uk/knowledge/science/snowflake/

TinderhoofBotanists know it as ‘Fomes fomentarius’. Others may call it ‘horse’s hoof fungus’ or ‘tinder fungus’. What name people gave it more than 5,000 years ago is forever lost.

What’s certain is that this distinctively shaped fungus has been useful to survival-savvy travellers for at least that many millennia. That’s when Ötzi – ‘The Iceman’ – was alive. His mummified body was found in melting alpine ice in 1991.

Ötzi wore a pouch filled with a dark mass of the fungus, within which were traces of iron pyrite. The Iceman could have set the fungal material aglow by striking sparks into it when he hit pyrite nodules against flint. It’s a neat, compact fire-lighting kit.

Then, as now, preparing the inner material of the fungus to make dry tinder would be a slow process. This inner layer is known to anglers as ‘amadou’. Some still find it useful for drying artificial flies used as lures.

These fungal ‘hooves’ grow all year from some birch trunks. But their shapes and patterns can seem particularly obvious in autumn and winter.

Web tip www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/16/1178895/-The-Horse-s-Hoof-Fungus-a-fungus-with-a-secret-inside#


Win

ter

Hang out with the buntingsThe snow bunting is the hardiest perching bird in the northern world, able to live and breed closer to the pole than any other. Around the arctic and a little way to the south, it can be a familiar sight around settlements. Cock birds, striking in black-and-white plumage, like to sing from rooftops as more camouflaged hens search for seeds and insects nearby.

A few snow buntings breed in Scotland’s high mountains. But the best time to see these tough and bonny little birds is winter, when flocks from far to the north (mainly Iceland) make landfall.

They have a particular liking for soft, sandy shores fringed with tall grasses along parts of the eastern seaboard. So places such as Culbin Sands and the Loch Fleet and Tentsmuir NNRs can be worth a close look.

Another excellent location for spotting snow buntings in winter is the main car park on Cairngorm Mountain (where some birds may be locals). And if you’re blessed with seasonal good luck here, you might even see some with a few reindeer grazing in the background.

Web tip www.caithness.org/caithnessfieldclub/bulletins/1992/wintering_snow_buntings.htm

Some other things to look for in winter:The waning moon in the night sky; purple sandpipers on rocky shores; squirrel dreys high in bare branches; robins singing winter songs.

Peak experiences possibleSometimes wider than the whole sky viewed from any point on Earth. Shimmering, strange, unpredictable. Merry Dancers. Aurora borealis. Northern Lights. Often imagined, much less often seen.

Auroras result from the push and pull of both sun-generated and Earth-produced particles and forces. The sun emits sub-atomic protons and electrons that ride a ‘solar wind’ of magnetic field lines and can meet Earth’s own magnetic force field.

Drawn in over polar regions, solar particles collide with terrestrial gases. Release of energy from these collisions, often as green or red light, is what powers and colours auroras.

They’re visible every day from space. But seeing a good aurora from ground level in the northern world usually requires a big explosion from a sunspot region facing Earth during autumn and winter. Sunspot numbers peak and trough roughly every eleven years, and the good news is that we’re now at a peak.

So keep venturing out on clear nights over the next few months and you may have the best chance for the next decade of ogling those Merry Dancers.

Web tip www.spaceweather.com

Old leaves in winter woodland can reveal beautiful patterns. Beyond the fading of tones after autumn, decay can generate natural art.

Once the cells across most of a leaf have rotted away, what remains for a while can be the internal plumbing: the veins that carried water to and from those cells when alive. The network of veins, some thick, some fine as filigree, can look amazing.

Finding leaf skeletons in the wild can be tricky. To speed the process (including to provide material for an art project, perhaps), you could try several methods. Holly and aspen can both be good sources of potential skeletons.

Simplest is to let some leaves sit in water for weeks. You can also try boiling leaves in weak solutions of washing soda or household bleach. Then take the leaves from the brew and try to tweak out remaining cells with a paintbrush. All of these methods are smelly and the last two are best done with protective gloves.

Compare different websites and experiment with leaf types, timings and quantities to fine-tune. Then add glue and imagination, to preserve according to taste.

Web tip Use ‘Make leaf skeleton’ as a search term, and compare sites.

The pleasures of plumbing


How did you celebrate the Yearof Natural Scotland? We knowthat, in the early part of the yearat least, there were more peoplevisiting the outdoors during thisspecial year. Many of you wererising to the challenge of doingsomething new or different to get involved with our natural environment. Together with partners across the public andprivate sector, SNH offered a wide range of activities and events to tempt you out and about and these appear to have been well received.

The popular Scotland’s Big 5 campaign caught your imagination, raising lots of discussion about what is important about our natural environment. The campaign, led by SNH and VisitScotland, celebrated our country’s iconic species whilst encouraging local Scots and visitors to find out more about our stunning wildlife and landscapes. Many organisations developed their own top five species, including Edinburgh Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park, the Scottish Sea Bird Centre and the Royal Botanic Gardens to name but a few.

At the end of the day, although each poll has its own winner, the real benefit has been the fun and exciting way that people have joined the debate about what is important for our country’s natural heritage, Visit www.visitscotland.com/snh to check on the outcome of the Scotland’s Big 5 vote.

Creativity and nature

Year of Natural Scotland saw a wide variety of projects exploring and celebrating the long standing links between nature and the arts. From living sculptures in forests, performance picnics and scavenger hunts, to sound maps, songs and theatre inspired by the natural world, a range of creative activity has been funded by Creative Scotland and SNH. This has resulted in a blossoming of new partnerships

between a range of organisations from the creative and environment sectors and encouraged people from across Scotland to experience and enjoy our nature and landscapes in new ways.

Going mobile

Taking advantage of new digital technology, SNH produced three free apps to help you enjoy and explore our country during the Year of Natural Scotland – and beyond. The View from the Train app features the sounds and sights of the wildlife and landscapes, combined with history and cultural information, along our most popular train routes. The Scotland’s Big 5 app and Scotland’s Nature apps both offer more information about our wildlife and landscapes to help you explore Scotland.

John Muir

When John Muir made his mark the digital age was but a dream. But today his legacy spans the generations, and 2013 marked the 175th anniversary of the birth of a Scotsman known as the ‘Father of the National Parks movement’. As part of the Big April Adventure, many of you attended events celebrating John Muir and his work, held on National Nature Reserves across Scotland. Next year, the Year of Homecoming Scotland 2014, will see

Looking backYear of Natural Scotland set out to encourage everyone to enjoy and admire Scotland’s stunning landscapes and magnificent wildlife. As the year draws to a close we reflect on a busy time.

1 Game fairs and events across Scotland were well attended in a glorious summer.

2 Our Scotland’s Big 5 voting game proved popular with all ages.

3 The Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Paul Wheelhouse, was on hand at several events to lend his support to Year of Natural Scotland.

3

the launch of the John Muir Way during a ten day festival in April.

Young People

Through a partnership with Young Scot, young people throughout Scotland got on board with Year of Natural Scotland by sharing their experiences of our wonderful natural resources on social media.

The year isn’t over yet, but as we move towards 2014 it’s clear that Scotland took celebrating wildlife, biodiversity, people and a sense of place to a new level in 2013.

2


Ashleigh Tooth unveils plans for Scotland to permanently recognise the contribution of one of the world's greatest conservationists with a new long-distance path.

Marking John Muir’s legacy

It is a surprisingly little-known fact that John Muir was a Scot and that it was in Scotland he first fell in love with nature. The father of the National Park movement is revered in many nations and now Scotland is set to recognise his amazing achievements by opening the spectacular coast-to-coast John Muir Way in 2014. This latest great trail will be a significant route, stretching across Scotland’s heartland for almost 134 miles (215 km).

Running between John Muir’s birthplace of Dunbar on the east coast, and Helensburgh on the west, near the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, it will offer the traveller Roman garrisons, castles and palaces

as it rolls through woodlands, meadows and over gentle hills.

And, of course, the calm waters of two famous canals will never be too far away. The canals in question are the Union and Forth/Clyde, the latter as Scotland’s first canal having been extremely important for our fishing trade and opened in 1790.

What are the best bits?

This will be a natural question from long-distance trail enthusiasts and day-trippers alike, and it’s easy to answer! From Dunbar, the route will in the main follow the current John Muir Way to the outskirts of Edinburgh and then zig-zag

through the leafiest and most scenic suburbs of the city.

Walking west, historical highlights will surely include the much under-rated Blackness Castle on the Firth of Forth; the seaport which in medieval times served the royal burgh of Linlithgow. The castle was built in the 15th century by one of Scotland’s most powerful families, the Crichtons, but in 1453 it became a royal castle and its enduring roles were those of garrison fortress and state prison!

It makes good sense that the new trail intends to use the Strathkelvin Railway Path near Strathblane. Here the route can follow last century’s trading tracks and will be a speedy bit of the

route suitable for bikes, push-chairs or the fleet of foot! However, the high point of the route is the Stoneymollan road from Balloch to Helensburgh, which offers superb views over Loch Lomond and the distant mountains. Whatever the weather dishes up for you, it’s an exhilarating experience to walk over this final section, an ancient ‘coffin road’ to Helensburgh’s fine town, scenic pier and sumptuous diversity of refreshments.

Clear route marking

The route is being designed to take in the best views, remote areas, and cultural, historical and natural heritage sites. We will of course try to ensure that anyone using the route won’t get lost! New way-marking, printed maps and a mobile website should provide assistance to most people, so you won’t need advanced navigational skills to complete this cross-country route.

The route is truly intended for everyone. You don’t need any special kit unless you’re planning to do it end to end. Take it in five-mile stretches or from village to town, just do it your way!

John Muir Festival

From 17 April through to 26 April there will be a 10 day John Muir Festival. This Festival will be one of the major events in Homecoming Scotland 2014, and will provide numerous opportunities for people of all ages to celebrate and explore the life and legacy of John Muir. Look out for details of the Festival programme being developed by partners including SNH, EventScotland, Creative Scotland and East Lothian Council. Building on the Festival, SNH will be supporting a number of events and activities to encourage more people to get out and enjoy the John Muir Way which will officially open on 21 April.

What’s in a name ?

Given that Muir was born in Dunbar, it’s ironic that to date Scotland hasn’t really celebrated his achievements and philosophy. But this is a

Muir’s writings became a personal guide into nature for countless individuals.

major opportunity to recognise his contributions to conservation globally.

And what a contribution he made across a range of subjects. He was noted for being an ecological thinker whose writings became a personal guide into nature for countless individuals. He was also a mountaineer, a geologist, a naturalist, an explorer, an inventor, a glaciologist and, of course, a conservationist.

Muir’s environmental activism helped save the Yosemite Valley, the area now known as the Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas in the USA, earning him the title of ‘father of the national parks movement’. In 1892 he founded the Sierra Club and became its first president, a position he held until his death in 1914. The club now enjoys a membership of well over 750,000 across many states in the USA and has helped inspire similar bodies such as Friends of the Earth.

If the John Muir Way in Scotland can come to symbolise his achievements and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts then the great man himself would surely be very proud indeed. Here’s to a legacy that should finally show that Scotland celebrates John Muir in some style.

1 The route is designed to take in some of the best views around Loch Lomond.

2 Off road cyclists will find several parts of the route to their liking.

1

2


A year-long programme of inspirational events and festivals are planned for 2014 and will fall broadly into five themes:– Creative,– Active,– Natural,– Ancestral, and– Food and drink.

One natural highlight will be the John Muir Festival which will run between 17 and 26 April. During that festival the new John Muir Way will open on 21 April and this extended

Homecoming 2014: a natural opportunity

route will be a fitting celebration of his remarkable legacy.

Homecoming is a celebration of Scotland both for those who call it ‘home’ and for those with links to, or an interest in Scotland. The wild, rugged natural landscapes will be a huge draw, as will the fabulous wildlife that the nation boasts. Stunning scenery and iconic species will give the perfect backdrop to a year-long welcome to the world.

The Commonwealth Games come to Glasgow in 2014 and, whilst the focus will be on our elite athletes, the intention is that the atmosphere and experience will encourage others to participate by boat, bike and foot in the aftermath. The Glasgow Games will be the 20th in one of the world’s most enjoyable multi-sports events.

The golfing highlight of the year will undoubtedly be the world class Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. Golf is a hugely popular pastime in Scotland and the splendid scenery and wildlife around our golf courses will be in the spotlight

during and after this internationally famous competition.

Other events with a natural focus will include the Orkney Nature Festival. Now well established, this features a week-long feast of activities and events celebrating the nature of Orkney. Amongst the highlights are boat trips to uninhabited islands, cruises to spectacular and noisy seabird colonies, and bird watching across a range of islands.

Scotland’s first ever Year of Homecoming took place in 2009 and was a great success. 95,000 visitors were introduced to all that Scotland has to offer and an additional £53m was generated in tourism revenue. There is every reason to expect a similar success in 2014.

In 2014 Scotland welcomes the world to join in an exciting ‘Year of Homecoming’. This will be an opportunity to reinforce Scotland’s position on the international stage as a beautiful, dynamic and creative nation whilst building on the benefits of hosting the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup.

Choosing a national tree for Scotland

Loch Shiel typifies the spectacular Highland scenery.

Ask anyone what makes the landscapes of Scotland so stunning and trees are likely to be part of the answer.

Our forests and woodlands are the envy of many countries and they have helped shape what Scotland is today. Our trees are great. They provide thousands of jobs through timber, support tourism, boost healthy lifestyles and are nature’s own carbon sink. Forests and woodlands are also home to some of the most amazing animals, birds, insects, and lichens.

The oldest living thing in Europe is the Fortingall Yew – said to be anywhere between 3,000 to 5,000 years old – so it is no wonder that trees are embedded in our rich culture and heritage.

The letters of the Gaelic alphabet each take their names from trees native to Scotland, and the graves of ancient Scottish warriors and clan chiefs were said to be marked with a Scots pine tree. On the grimmer side, trees were regularly used as gallows.

Trees are also fundamental to our myths and legends. For example, the rowan, particularly on the west coast of Scotland, is said to have powers to ward off witches and evil spirits. So, it is fair to say we have a great affection for our trees in Scotland.

Forestry Commission Scotland’s own surveys suggest that around three quarters of us have visited woodlands recently – and about the same amount would really like to get out into a woodland at least once a month. Most would like to see more trees planted too. The people of Scotland value the

nation’s trees and woodlands highly and are concerned at the number of tree diseases hitting our woodlands – just think of the widespread media attention that ash dieback caused.

On a more positive note, however, one member of the public took a different approach to celebrating our trees. Last year, Alex Hamilton campaigned for the naming of a National Tree of Scotland. Through a petition to the Scottish Parliament, Mr Hamilton garnered cross-party support for a national tree and the Scottish Government responded quickly. A three-month consultation is underway to find out if the public in Scotland would like a national tree and, if so, which species.

The designation of a national tree would be symbolic in nature, highlighting the great importance of trees, woods and forests to Scotland’s communities, wildlife, culture and economy.

When better to do this than during Year of Natural Scotland, the most appropriate occasion to raise the profile of some of our much loved tree species. Whether you are a fan of the rowan, Scots pine, hazel, yew, or have a particular affection for the aspen…..everyone has a chance to join in and make their views known.

The consultation closes on 3 December 2013 with a decision being made sometime early in 2014.

To get involved log on to www.forestry.gov.uk/scotlandsnationaltree.


Climate change poses one of the biggest threats to Scotland’s nature and landscapes. Of course, there will be some winners, but some wildlife we hold dear will suffer. Whilst our climate has changed over thousands of years, the rate and scale of change now appears to be far greater than recorded previously – with the underlying cause being the growing emissions of greenhouse gases associated with human activity.

SNH is playing a key role in responding to climate change, both to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (what we call ‘mitigation’) and to prepare for the new conditions climate change will bring (‘adaptation’ to change).

Nature helps us cope with climate change in many ways, not least through: – Storing carbon, and so reducing the

effects of carbon dioxide emissions; and

– Sustaining ecosystems, which if kept healthy, will provide food and water, and help control flooding, disease and pest outbreaks, and pollutants.

How can we help nature adapt to climate change?

And of course, healthy ecosystems work in our favour, so we want to do what we can to achieve good health. Working across our National Nature Reserves (NNRs) we are endeavouring to lead on new ways of managing these areas to cope with a changing climate. Let us look at two aspects.

Reducing other pressures

Climate change is not the only threat to our natural systems; many face other pressures. Loch Leven NNR, mid-way between Edinburgh and Perth, is surrounded by towns, villages, arable farming and industry, and has long battled with water pollution. Its nutrient-rich waters support abundant food sources, which make it attractive to a wealth of birds.

Run-off from farms and discharge from domestic and industrial sources led to a build-up of nutrients in the Loch, particularly phosphorus. This caused algal blooms which reduced the clarity of the water, so that plants could

only grow in shallow water. This in turn reduced the diversity and abundance of plants and invertebrates in the Loch.

Research here has shown that climate change can make problems with poor water quality even worse. During warm, dry and calm weather, algal blooms can occur naturally, but are made worse by too many nutrients. So, if we can reduce the nutrients entering Loch Leven we can help ‘future-proof’ the site against the warmer, drier summers of the future.

SNH and partners are working on a catchment management plan which is already leading to significant improvements in the quality of the water discharged into the Loch. We are doing this through: – Improving farming practices to

reduce soil and fertiliser run-off; and – Upgrading and regulating waste

water management in the catchment.And the great news is that aquatic

plants have already responded, growing once more in deeper water and returning to some of the shores

Christina Bell leads much of our work on tackling climate change. Here she describes how a new approach on our National Nature Reserves is leading the way.

where they had all but disappeared. The ecosystem now stands a better chance of adapting to climate change.

Planning for change

We can’t save everything; as the climate changes there will be winners and losers among our species. The coast is ever changing but rising sea levels increase the likelihood of flooding. Caerlaverock NNR on the Solway Firth is a coastline dominated by saltmarsh and vulnerable to ‘coastal squeeze’.

Swathes of saltmarsh and other coastal habitats are trapped between the rising sea on one side and sea walls and various uses of the land on the other. So, here we want to try and free up some space for nature, but how?

Caerlaverock is home to the most northerly population of natterjack toads (Epidalea calamita) in Britain, and this is particularly vulnerable to habitat

Climate changes see winners and losers among our species.

1 Loch Leven National Nature Reserve is benefiting from projects to improve water quality.

2 At Caerlaverock steps are being taken to improve the habitat for natterjack toads.

2loss. Shallow freshwater pools at the edge of the saltmarsh, or ‘merse’, as it’s known locally, provide ideal habitat for breeding natterjacks. In the longer term if sea levels rise as a result of climate change it is possible that the freshwater marsh will revert to merse or even mudflats. In this event we will need to look at how to facilitate the creation of freshwater and brackish coastal habitats to maintain this important habitat and the species that depend on it.

There is only limited space to move inland by a natural process of retreat, so the Caerlaverock NNR team have been working with others since 2002 to help the natterjacks adapt. Shallow pools have been excavated on farmland inland of the reserve to give the isolated populations of this species a chance to boost breeding success despite the rising sea. A small amount of salt water inundation helps to kill off predators such as fish and larger aquatic invertebrates – which would otherwise eat the toads’ eggs and tadpoles. So, we need to strike just the right balance!

For further examples of how we are helping nature adapt see: www.snh.gov.uk/climatechange


Although the crofter’s son from Lewis had only two years of schooling, he became recognised as the foremost authority on adders in Great Britain. His observations were published in the scientific journal Nature, he attained a doctorate from a French institute, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and he spoke before scientific gatherings in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Morrison turned his enquiring mind to many aspects of nature, from the eel to the humble rat, but he always returned to his fascination with reptiles and in particular the adder.

There had been others before him who had studied Scotland’s reptiles, but Morrison was the first to apply a modern scientific approach. He had a meticulous eye for detail and was not afraid to contradict the recognised experts of his day when his observations did not square with theirs.

Morrison’s interest in nature began when he was a boy growing up in the small village of Shawbost on the west coast of Lewis in the 1870s and 1880s. In his autobiography he described his observations of slow-worms in the nearby moors, as well as a wide variety of other animals. He enjoyed the little time he had at school but the Education Act took time to take effect in his community and much of his childhood was spent helping his parents or searching for wildlife amongst the spectacular Lewis countryside. He left school at twelve and after a short and unsuccessful stint as a fisherman, which earned him his by-name of ‘Tormodan T-Seòladair’ (Norman the sailor), he travelled south to Glasgow and embarked on a career as a policeman.

Adder man

Ask any Scottish police officer about Norman Morrison and they’ll tell you he was the co-founder of the Scottish Police Federation but it’s unlikely they’ll know he was also a pioneer in the study of Scotland’s reptiles. Along the way, he published collections of Hebridean folklore and was one of the first photographers to portray the people of the Western Isles. David O'Brien tells us more.

A self-taught enthusiast

During his time in the police force he was a champion of the fledgling union movement and wrote extensively. He still found time, however, to devote to his studies of the natural world. Before the advent of terms like ’citizen science’ and in an era when most naturalists were gentlemen of means, Morrison taught himself through books, debate and diligent examination of nature. He was respected by scientists from Britain and the Empire, as well as Europe and America. His careful study of the adder in particular was only equalled in the 1970s some fifty years after the publication of his book The life-story of the adder.

At a time when most people, including many scientists, felt that the only good snake was a dead snake, Morrison called for adders to be recognised for their important role in maintaining the balance of nature by eating rodents, and warned of their decline. His writings advocated the protection of these timid snakes rather than their persecution. He also proposed that snake venom could have an important role in the fight against cancer, an area of research which has recently yielded interesting results.

It is difficult to single out one piece of work from his scientific career, his literary output or his campaigning for a fairer society. Perhaps his greatest legacy is that he showed that a self-taught enthusiast could reach the top of his chosen field.

If you would like to find out more about Norman Morrison’s life and work, including online versions of his books, visit www.tormod.co.uk.

1 Norman Morrison had a life-long interest in adders.

2 The adder is the only snake you are likely to see in Scotland.

3 Despite leaving school when only 12, Norman co-founded the Scottish Police Federation.

1 2

3


Dualchas coitcheannCommon heritage

Loch nan Innsean

Tha am facal innis a’ nochdadh ann an grunn riochdan ann an ainmean-tìre na h-Alba – mar eilean, dail an cois abhainn no cluain a th’ air a cuairteachadh le coille, am measg eile. Tha e gu math cumanta air feadh Alba, mar as trice le dreach mar inch no insh air ann am Beurla (me Inchinnan, Inchmarnoch, Inshes, Loch Insh).

Tha beachd-smuain de ‘eilean’ – àite air a chuairteachadh le àrainn de sheòrsa eile – co-cheangailte ri gach ciall dheth. Ach, an-diugh, ’s e ‘eilean talmhaidh ann an uisge’ an aon chiall nach eil ‘beò’ anns a’ chànan, agus am facal eilean fhèin, a thathar an dùil a thàinig on t-Seann Lochlannais, air a ghabhail thairis. Mar sin, fhuair eilean air a bheil ‘innis’ ainm o chionn fhada.

’S e an t-àite as fheàrr far am faicear innis a’ riochdachadh ‘eilean’ an-diugh ceann a deas Loch Laomainn, far a bheil dusan dhiubh ann an cròileagan, agus iad uile brèagha, eachdraidheil is luachmhor a thaobh nàdar. ’S dòcha gur e an t-eilean as aithnichte dhiubh don mhòr-shluagh Innis Cailleach (Inchcailloch), far an do chuir a’ Bhan-naomh Caintigern (chaochail 734 AC) taigh chailleachan-dubha air chois. ’S i a tha ainmichte ann am Bealach Mo Cha (Balmaha) faisg air làimh; ’s e Mo Cha frith-ainm a bh’ air an naomh.

Tha dà eilean eile aig a bheil ceangal do phearsaichean eaglais – Innis Mearain (Inchmurrin), ainmichte airson Naomh Mearain, a tha co-cheangailte gu làidir ri Pàislig, agus Innis Taigh a’ Mhanaich (Inchtavannach), far an robh manachainn uaireigin, agus aig a bheil ceangal eachdraidheil do Naomh Ceasag (a th’ air a chuimhneachadh an dà chuid anns an sgìre sin agus ann an Inbhir Nis).

Tha ceithir eileanan a’ faighinn an ainmean bhon cumaidhean – an Innis Chruinn (Inchcruin) – bho rubha cruinn air an taobh an ear dheth, a’ Chlàr-Innis (Clairinch) ‘eilean còmhnard’, Tòrr-Innis (Torrinch) ‘eilean le creag àrd’, agus an Innis Fhada (Inchfad), a tha gu dearbh fada an coimeas ri a leud. Agus tha nàdar co-cheangailte ri ainmean trì eileanan – Innis Lònaig (Inchlonaig) ‘eilean na boglaich bhig’, far an deach craobhan-iubhair a chur le Rìgh Raibeart Brus, a rèir beul-aithris, Boc-Innis (Bucinch) ‘eilean nam boc goibhre’ agus a’ Chraobh Innis (Creinch), a thathar an dùil a bha craobhach nuair a bha na h-eileanan eile lom.

Tha Innis Mòna (Inchmoan) a’ cuimhneachadh mar a bhiodh muinntir Luis a’ falbh a-mach don eilean airson mòine fhaighinn, agus thathar a’ mìneachadh Innis Chonachain (Inchconnachan) mar ‘eilean Clann a’ Chombaich’.

Tha grunn eileanan beaga air Loch Laomainn nach eil ainmichte le innis, agus tha dùil gu bheil na h-ainmean sin nas ùire na ’n fheadhainn eile – ach tha tùs Gàidhlig aca uile. ’S iad A’ Cheàrdach (Ceardach), far an robhar a’ dèanamh obair le meatailt uaireigin, Eilean a’ Bhùth (Island I Vow), Eilean Darach (Ellanderroch), Fraoch Eilean (Fraoch Island) agus Eilean an Tairbeirt (Tarbet Isle).

Ruairidh MacIlleathain guides us through the fascinating ‘Inches’ – the Gaelic-named islands of Loch Lomond.

Loch of the ‘Inches’

Among the meanings of the widespread Gaelic place-name element ‘innis’ (pronounced IN-ish) are ‘island’, ‘riverine meadow’ or ‘clearing in a forest’. It is usually anglicised inch or insh as in Inchinnan, Inchmarnoch, Inshes and Loch Insh. Its likely original meaning of ‘island in water’ is no longer active in the language, having been superseded by the Norse-derived eilean. Island names with innis are therefore very old.

Perhaps the best place to see Innis island names is the southern end of Loch Lomond where there are a dozen in close proximity, the best known of which is probably Inchcailloch, off Balmaha; this is Innis Cailleach, ‘island of nuns’, named for the monastery established by St Kentigerna (died 734 AD). Two other islands bear religious references – Inchmurrin (Innis Mearain), named for St Mirren (who has strong connections to Paisley), and Inchtavannach (Innis Taigh a’ Mhanaich) ‘the island of the monastery’, which is connected to St Kessock.

Four islands derive their names from their shapes or profiles. Inchcruin is Innis Chruinn ‘round island’, named for a peninsula on its eastern side, Clairinch is Clàr-Innis ‘flat island’, Torrinch is Tòrr-Innis, named for a high rock on its south-western end and Inchfad is Innis Fhada ‘long island’. The names of three islands have links to nature – Inchlonaig (Innis Lònaig) ‘island of the small bog’, Bucinch (Boc-Innis) ‘island of billy goats’ and Creinch (Craobh-Innis) ‘tree island’.

Inchmoan (Innis Mòna) ‘peat island’ reminds us that this was a source of fuel for the people of Luss in olden times, and Inchconnachan is thought to mean ‘isle of the Colquhouns’.

An sealladh gu tuath à Innis Cailleach thairis air an Innis Fhada gu Innis Lònaig agus ceann a tuath Loch Laomainn. Air an taobh dheas, tha Beinn Laomainn a thug a h-ainm don loch fhèin.

Looking north from Inchcailloch over Inchfad to Inchlonaig and the northern end of Loch Lomond. To the right is Ben Lomond, which gave its name to the loch.


NEW

SN

EWS

Kittiwake concernThe Isle of May is one of our most interesting National Nature Reserves. It provides not only a wonderful visitor experience but also a haven for a whole host of seabirds and researchers. As such it’s often a useful barometer on the fortunes of some of our seabird species.

We are still gathering our statistics and comparing them to previous years but the early signs are reasonable for our 45,000 or so puffins. Many readers will recall the puffin wreck in spring when 3,500 dead puffins were found along the east coast. However, by the end of the breeding season the population is about the same as five years ago. Puffin breeding this year was about three weeks later than normal, but incredibly compressed into just a few busy weeks.

Sadly our kittiwakes have endured a very poor year, with fewer birds breeding. The reasons are not entirely clear and perhaps down to a combination of factors, but the bottom line is that the kittiwake population on ‘the May’ has dropped in the last 20 years from 8000 pairs to 2000 pairs and this season is a big disappointment after they enjoyed a productive year in 2012.

Clean up Scotland Keep Scotland Beautiful is an independent charity which campaigns, acts and educates on a range of environmental issues which affect people’s quality of life. It is committed to making Scotland clean and green.

Clean Up Scotland is their newly launched campaign which aims to quickly remove litter and mess so Scotland shines when the world is watching in 2014. By gradually changing behaviour littering should become as unacceptable in future as drink-driving is today.

Scotland is famous worldwide for its scenery and landscape and by taking pride in how it appears we can show it to its best advantage. Litter also poses a hazard to wildlife, and detracts from local parks and greenspaces where people can enjoy nature.

Keep Scotland Beautiful is putting together a national coalition of supporters for Clean Up Scotland, including politicians and government, public bodies and charities.

How can you help? Clean Up Scotland is asking people across Scotland to get involved by helping to free their communities of litter and graffiti, reporting incidences of flytipping and abandoned vehicles, and responsibly disposing of litter.

So far this year over 70,000 people have joined the campaign and taken part in litter-picks across the length of Scotland – why not join them? You can register for free kit and back the campaign at www.cleanupscotland.com.

Plant trackerInvasive non-native plant species are a threat to native wildlife in the UK. The first step in tackling this problem is accurately determining where these plants are. Now a brand-new app is able to help build a comprehensive picture of the UK’s invasive, non-native plant species.

Spreading quickly across the country, invasive non-native plants displace native species and detrimentally affect the ecology of many vulnerable habitats. Some even pose a considerable threat to human health. These plants also present a large financial cost to the UK economy with the annual cost of all invasive, non-native species totalling some £2 billion.

The PlantTracker app, available free from the iTunes App Store and Android Market, shows you how to identify each species and enables you to easily submit geo-located photos whenever you find one. The app now features 14 invasive plant species and also includes a ‘Confusion Species’ gallery for each one, to help you separate some of the similar-looking plants you might encounter.

One potential bonus of the new app is an increase in our knowledge of species distribution. A recent Sealife Tracker app resulted in species being recorded in new 10km squares and this has already happened countless times with PlantTracker.

You can see how PlantTracker is peforming by following the Nature Locator Facebook page www.facebook.com/NatureLocator and Twitter account (@NatureLocator)

Lots of us already know where to go to enjoy the great outdoors and appreciate nature, but because of barriers, such as budget, culture and confidence, many don’t. A recent SNH project, ‘Simple Pleasures within Under-Represented Communities’, has started to change this.

SNH’s funding always benefits the natural heritage, but funding projects directly for people can make a huge difference, not just to their knowledge and appreciation of the natural heritage but also to their lives.

Open Aye was commissioned to facilitate work with groups from six under-represented communities. Becky Duncan of Open Aye uses participative photography to bond groups, empower people, share the wonders of nature and explore new and wild places.

Her approach was simple: to teach photographic techniques to the participants, starting close to home but outdoors, regardless of weather! Gradually she ranged further from home with her groups, exploring Local and National Nature Reserves and a National Park, taking in seascapes, woodland, hills and lochs.

The results indicate that being exposed to the combination of inspiring landscapes and an expert facilitator, sees participants grow in ability and self-confidence.

Some of the participants were recovering from mental health illnesses and described experiencing new beauty, balance and tranquillity in their lives. Their attendance and interest grew and developed, with some seeing the course as a creative lifeline in their recovery process.

To celebrate the project, Becky arranged an exhibition of the participants’ photos in Kelvingrove Museum, and on its opening about 50 of the participants came to share their enthusiasm, as well as to see each other’s creations. Their enjoyment and appreciation of our natural heritage shone through in every image.

Open Aye opened eyes


NEW

SN

EWS

Marine Protected Areas consultationThe Scottish Government is asking for people’s views on a proposed network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Susan Davies, Director of Policy and Advice for Scottish Natural Heritage, said: “This consultation is an important opportunity for people to have their say on how Scotland’s seas should be managed in the future. Our seas are biologically rich, special and an important economic resource. The right balance between interests such as renewables, fishing and recreation and the management of these special places can be achieved.”

The consultation will last for 16 weeks until 13 November 2013. Marine Scotland and SNH are hosting a series of events around Scotland including drop-in sessions in coastal communities close to the possible MPAs. These events provide an opportunity for the public to get to know more about their local seas and discuss the proposals.

Times and dates of events are available on the Scottish Government website at - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/marine-consultation/events

Information about the possible sites in Scottish inshore waters can be found on the Protecting Scotland’s Nature pages of the SNH website at www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-areas/national-designations/mpa-consultations/

To submit a consultation response visit the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/marine-consultation

The African word Imbewu, meaning ‘seed’ in Zulu, symbolises the potential for growth from small beginnings. This is the basis for an exciting new rural skills initiative, ‘Imbewu Scotland’, being run jointly by Wilderness Foundation UK and Scottish Land & Estates across Scotland, with funding support from SNH.

Imbewu Scotland aims to increase understanding of ecological issues and sustainable land management, enabling young people to develop an awareness and love of nature and the outdoors, while opening their eyes to future career opportunities within the rural sector.

In early summer, five young people set out on the very first Imbewu Scotland journey, which took them from the comfort of their urban homes into the wild heart of the Scottish Cairngorms. With wilderness guides, they navigated their way through remote areas, wild camping and following ‘Leave No Trace’ principles.

Learning first-hand from those who live and work in Scotland’s beautiful countryside, they were able to tap into knowledge of land use and management acquired over many generations.

The group spent time with the head stalker of the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge Estate, learning about field sports and deer management, and found out how to spot wildlife crime with the local Wildlife Crime Officer.

With Estate Rangers they discovered local wildlife and took part in a practical conservation task repairing brash fencing to protect native trees from deer. They heard about the wide

Five go wild camping

range of employment, training and volunteering opportunities in the rural sector, from gamekeeping to wildlife tourism and guiding. Each participant was awarded a John Muir Discovery Award and Leave No Trace accreditation in recognition of their achievements.

Contact with nature undoubtedly inspires our young people, developing in them a respect for the natural world and a deeper understanding of the interdependence of humans and nature; hopefully this will ensure that they continue to enjoy and protect our wild places in the future. Nature provided them not only with aesthetic enjoyment but ‘a classroom’ in which they learned the value of balancing nature conservation ideals with economic land management goals.

In this ‘Year of Natural Scotland’, John Muir’s clarion call to ‘come to the woods’ is being answered by more and more of us as we seek respite from what can be a frenzied modern world. Imbewu Scotland is hopefully sowing the seeds of a new generation of environmentalists who, assisted by land managers, can help bring Muir’s conservation message to an increasingly urbanised society disconnected from nature and wild places.

In partnership with Scottish Land & Estates, the Wilderness Foundation is running Imbewu Scotland as a two-year pilot approach to re-connecting young people to the land.

Further information from: [email protected] www.wildernessfoundation.org.uk

Ferry good newsThe Blomer’s rivulet, a moth not previously recorded in Scotland, has been spotted for the first time by members of Butterfly Conservation at Lochaline.

The discovery came from a group whiling away the hours waiting for a ferry to Mull. The delicately patterned grey and rusty brown moth wasn’t thought to be present in Scotland and indeed is classed as nationally scarce in England and Wales too.

The moth’s identity was confirmed by moth expert Roy Leverton, who noted that “This is a most unlikely find. I could just about have imagined it turning up in the Borders, or even Dumfries and Galloway, but not this far north.”

Highland branch member Margaret Currie, of Culbokie, had the presence of mind to take some photographs, and said the moth was spotted low down in a hazel tree. The moth takes its name from 18th century naturalist Charles Blomer, and is thought to only be on the wing from June to July.

Paul Kirkland, director of Butterfly Conservation Scotland said; “This is a very exciting find, and it shows that there are corners of the country where new moth colonies can still be discovered.”


Wild Scotland

An organisation whose profile is more closely associated with a pair of black and white bamboo-chomping bears than native species conservation may seem an unusual bedfellow for SNH. But the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has been quietly working in partnership with SNH for a number of years, offering support and expertise derived from over a century of captive breeding and scientific research.

As we continue at RZSS to expand our credentials as a serious player in the conservation arena, this relationship has stepped up a gear, most recently witnessed by the Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan launched on 24 September where RZSS will act as lead co-ordinator of the captive breeding aspect of the plan.

Scottish-based global reach

To those not entirely familiar with our organisation, we are a Scottish-based conservation charity with a global reach, established in 1909. We also own and manage both Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (HWP). Our conservation work abroad includes managing the Budongo Conservation Field Station in Uganda, where our work supports chimpanzees; and the Pantanal Conservation and Research Initiative where our research is being used to promote conservation throughout Brazil.

Somewhat intriguingly, we are part of an international award-winning breeding programme for the Partula snail, which is now completely extinct in the wild. Hidden away in a small off-show area of Edinburgh Zoo due to the conditions they require in order to survive and thrive, we house a collection of tiny, exotic snails.

Closer to home however, native species conservation is very much a priority for us, hence the need for collaboration with SNH and others.

Flagship projects

We are working on a number of projects in Scotland. One of our flagship projects is the Scottish Beaver Trial (where we are applying our skills in animal husbandry and ecological monitoring) in partnership with the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

The first of its kind in Britain, the trial is exploring whether or not the reintroduction of beavers is feasible and beneficial to nature conservation. SNH has been co-ordinating an independent scientific monitoring programme to assess the effect beavers have on the local environment. Monitoring will conclude in May 2014, with findings presented to the Scottish Government. A decision on the future of beaver reintroduction in Scotland is expected in May 2015. Although not part of the licensed reintroduction programme, members of RZSS staff are also using their experience to monitor the health of the population of beavers on the Tay.

The Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan identifies RZSS as the lead co-ordinator in the captive breeding

Chris West, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, sheds light on the developing links between his organisation and Scottish Natural Heritage.

aspect of the overall plan which is being led by SNH. Our extensive knowledge of managing animals and our success in captive breeding make us the obvious choice for this work, which will involve a facility purpose built for the breeding and reintroduction of wildcats of known genetic make-up.

More recently, our pioneering Wildgenes Laboratory in Edinburgh, which provides DNA analysis services to zoos worldwide, has been analysing scat samples to provide a rapid means of distinguishing wildcats from cats of domestic ancestry and ultimately help in determining a true picture of what the wildcat population looks like.

Aside from our skills and expertise however, an area where I believe we can truly make a huge difference is via mass public engagement which owning the Zoo and HWP presents. These two sites see almost a million visitors a year pass through their doors and therefore the chances to educate, inspire and encourage huge numbers of people with conservation messages are immense.

In addition, we have extensive social media opportunities afforded by our websites, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube outlets. We are reaching quite literally millions of people around the world with our news and information.

This is an exciting, defining time for the environment in Scotland. We are determined to be contributing to the future of ‘wild Scotland’, hopefully in a positive way, working in partnership with organisations such as SNH.

It’s good to be friends.


Tackling Wildlife CrimeWildlife Crime Prevention is best achieved through improved education and awareness. Andy Turner became a Wildlife Crime Education Officer in July 2010 and reflects on his experiences in this challenging area of work.

I joined Scottish Natural Heritage in 2001 and for several years I worked as Reserve Manager at Forvie and St Cyrus National Nature Reserves. However, I developed an interest in wildlife crime and in July 2010 I was appointed as the UK’s first Wildlife Crime Education Officer, working within the then Grampian Police Force Wildlife Crime Unit.

While the concept of the post was borne from the police, the development was achieved very much in partnership, with funding from Grampian Police, Scottish Natural Heritage, LEADER (European Funding for Community Projects) together with some private funding.

The primary aim of the Wildlife Crime Education Officer post was simple – to reduce the incidence of wildlife crime in Grampian through a programme of education and awareness raising.

Before I could deliver any sort of meaningful programme I had to gain a thorough understanding of wildlife crime investigations, land management conflicts, and the intricacies of legislation. And so I was encouraged to become a Special Police Constable. After attending interviews, exams and training I was sworn in and ready for action in July 2011.

Involvement in police investigations has really helped me. For one thing it showed me how to distinguish between legal countryside practices and illegal activity, a fundamental element in ensuring effective delivery of the post.

As a Wildlife Crime Officer I focused on five areas in particular :

– creation of an education programme for school children,

– delivery of seminars and training, – visible presence at shows and events – development of a proactive media

approach, and – improved crime prevention and

reporting measures.I’d like to think that three years of

the post have delivered the above. For

example I’ve overseen the development of an education pack for schools, which is soon to be hosted on the Scottish Government Partnership Against Wildlife Crime Scotland website, and developed an iPhone app to report wildlife crime. It will ultimately be free to download on iTunes.

Not everything has had a technical element however. I’ve delivered seminars to over 1800 people from 60 organisations, including regular lectures at Scotland’s Rural College, attended 26 shows and events with over 100,000 members of the public, and had 50 news items featured locally and nationally.

In addition to the above I’ve helped install measures to improve and promote reporting of wildlife crime using a national reporting card, created RiverWatch posters, and organised a successful rural crime conference.

No matter how much effort you put in it remains notoriously difficult to quantify the success of such a post. On the one hand you could suggest it is measured through increased reporting of wildlife crime incidents resulting from improved detection, on the other a quite different measure might be seeing a decrease in reports due to more accurate or ‘educated’ reporting.

Stonehaven success

A number of wildlife crimes have been reported as a direct result of the Education Officer post. Perhaps the best example is that of a hare coursing incident that occurred in spring 2013 near to Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire.

The level of detail provided by the witness was exceptional. Upon identifying the ongoing offence, the witness immediately contacted the police and provided an accurate account of the locus, the suspects, suspects’ dogs, vehicle number plate, and direction of onward travel. Remarkably, and encouragingly, the witness was a 15 year-old school pupil who had attended a wildlife crime presentation by the Wildlife Crime Education Officer.

The post has succeeded in increasing awareness of wildlife crime

1 Roe deer have been victims of wildlife crime around the fringes of urban areas.

2 Andy (right) pictured with the winner of a schools wildlife crime poster competition.

issues among all stakeholders and brought increasing media awareness of the issues.

It would be fair also to suggest we have seen an improvement in the standard of reporting, and delivered in terms of increased networking with improved working between key partner organisations.

Funding for the three-year post has now expired. However, I will be continuing as a Special Constable in Grampian in a post developed by Scottish Natural Heritage, while retaining close links with Police Scotland. I’d like to think it is worthwhile work both for the present and the future in tackling wildlife crime.

1

2


The art of the matterA wildlife artist celebrates Tentsmuir’s delights

1 Tentsmuir is an important winter foraging site for the woodcock.

1


“Using trail cameras around the Reserve I’ve managed to gather some great footage of roe deer, badgers, red squirrels, otters, woodcock and more, and I’ve been able to

use this footage to produce new sketches – especially of badgers, which I hardly ever see in daylight on the Reserve.”

A major element of the project has been construction of an online art trail. Walk around the trails at Morton Lochs and nearby Kinshaldy (which is a Forestry Commission Scotland site) and you can see plaques featuring some of Derek’s individual sketches of species that inhabit that particular part of the Reserve, and in the corner of each plaque is a helpful QR code (a Quick Response code that looks like a square barcode). If you have a smartphone or tablet you can scan the code and it will take you to an individual page on the Memory of Tides website (www.memoryoftides.com) showing all the drawings and paintings he has created of that particular animal near the spot where the reader is standing.

Early in 2013 Derek Robertson was invited by Scottish Natural Heritage to be artist-in-residence at Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve. He set to work studying then sketching the wildlife and landscape around this coastal reserve in Fife, and the result is a celebration of Tentsmuir like nothing that has gone before.

Accompanying the imagery is text about the animal and also a piece of video taken with trail cameras around the reserve. This means you can see some of the hard-to-spot, shy and nocturnal animals that live there – even if you are there in a large and noisy crowd. The resource has already been used by educational groups so children can see recognisable, individual animals that actually live near that spot – the otter with a small scar on its nose or the red squirrel with the very dark fur for example.

Whilst Derek captures the art, his findings and observations are contributing to building a more accurate picture of the wildlife seen at Tentsmuir. He has been sending records and sightings to the Reserve Manager, Tom Cunningham, and filling in forms on the BTO BirdTrack site.

A good example of the value of this work came in the winter when Derek, whilst having a look around the marshy dunes near Tentsmuir Point, discovered large numbers of woodcock — around 30 at a time — which showed that this was an important winter foraging site for these birds in Fife. It was known that woodcock were present, but not in these numbers.

Derek takes up the story of how his studious method of preparing for painting is reaping dividends across the seasons. “I did a BTO breeding woodcock survey in the nearby forest and had a huge count of 32 birds in just over an hour, suggesting that the reserve doesn’t only provide a winter feeding area but is a major habitat for breeding birds as well.

“In the spring I did a survey of Morton Lochs for the elusive water rails. They are notoriously difficult to observe because they rarely leave dense cover and are almost never seen. My friend, Steve Moyes, and I developed a way of counting them in the Tay reedbeds using audio playback. The method is increasingly adopted as a standard survey technique for the species.

“Interestingly at Morton, I located three pairs and heard the characteristic “tic-tic” call of a bird giving an alarm call for its young. The trail camera footage has perhaps identified the reason why – badgers. There are cubs at a nearby badger set and at least five recognisable, individual adults. There are jays too, and although I’ve never seen more than three at any one time, there are regularly between five and seven in shot on the cameras!”

Looking ahead, Derek will be working up some larger paintings from the sketches he has completed and attempting to set up a substantial, cross-disciplinary project that brings together scientists, environmental managers and artists using many mediums to produce collaborative work at the end of the year. Those involved have all been working on their own projects at Tentsmuir including dance, poetry, film, storytelling, geography, biology, conservation ecology and more.

Paintings from the project have already been on display to groups and in exhibitions around Scotland and Derek has a series of solo shows planned towards the end of 2013 and into 2014 – including one at ‘The Piggery’ outdoor exhibition space at Taynish National Nature Reserve in Argyll.

32

2, 3 & 4 A selection of studies from Derek’s sketchbook.

5 Artist Derek Robertson has made a huge contribution to our understanding of the wildlife at Tentsmuir.

4

5

For Derek, one of Scotland’s most noted wildlife artists, the invite sparked an intensely busy creative period. “I have been completing a brand new body of work,” he explained, “which has mostly consisted of field studies and paintings in which I have gathered material reflecting the varied and exciting wildlife of the Reserve. Highlights have included otters, sea eagles, seals, long-tailed ducks, and jays.


6 He has created portfolios for the local towns of Dundee and St Andrews, as well as arranging on-site displays, open studio days and sketching demonstrations and guided ‘walks with the artist’.

The publicity attracted by the project has been substantial, with articles in local press and features on STV news, BBC Radio Scotland’s Out of Doors programme, and BBC Countryfile. This, allied to articles on blogs, newsletters and social media sites, has extended the reach of work that originated in Tentsmuir to well beyond Fife and Tayside.

The final word from Derek is that it has been a great experience being an artist-in-residence at such a dynamic Reserve. “It has struck me how much local visitors value and treasure the Reserve and surroundings. I’ve really enjoyed meeting the many people who have come up, introduced themselves and asked about the project. I just want to say a huge thank you for the tremendous support I have been given by everyone at SNH and all the Forestry Commission staff at Tentsmuir too.”

Anyone fortunate enough to view Derek’s work can hardly disagree that he has made a telling contribution to Year of Natural Scotland and left behind a beautiful celebration of a hugely popular Reserve.

6 The detail in this stunning painting of a pair of garganey typifies Derek's studious approach


Res

erve

focu

sRevival ReservePioneering conservation work is delivering a stunning transformation on Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve

Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve sits on the spine of Scotland, straddling the west and east Highlands, and the translation of its Gaelic name to ‘bogland rock’ or ‘crag of the boggy place’ hints at the variety of landscapes encountered here.

It provides a good example of the types of habitats to be found in the Highlands, taking in lochshore and river flats, birch and alder woodland, open hills and moors, cliffs and corries, and culminating in the high summit plateau of the tops. That mix of habitats and scenery have long made Creag Meagaidh a truly inspirational place to

SNH reserve boundary

Other estate boundary

Main road

Track

Footpath

Wall

Information

Car park

Coniferous woodland

Broadleaf woodland

Height in metres487

0 2kilometres

0 2miles

© Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd 2010.Based on Ordnance Survey mapping. © Crown copyrightand database right 2010. All rights reserved.Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH 100017908.

visit and enjoy, but there were times when it was less inviting than today.

Ice sheets and glaciers once lay heavily on the land here. Again and again, over the last two and a half million years, the deep freeze of the Ice Age has smothered Creag Meagaidh. Sometimes glaciers covered the whole mountain, other times they filled only the corries and glens with a glacier or two. But each big chill left its mark. The results have been striking; hummocks of glacial rubble, gravel terraces and of course great corries and cliffs were formed. Perhaps most strikingly, glaciers scooped out the great bowl of Coire Ardair.

When the ice sheets retreated they left a bare rocky landscape that was gradually covered by a mixture

of woodland and heath. But from the 1700s, heavy grazing by sheep and deer meant few trees could survive and much of the wildlife that depended on them was lost.

However, in 1986 Creag Meagaidh became a National Nature Reserve and this signalled a new era. Grazing pressure was reduced and lost plant and animal communities were gradually restored. Now wildlife abounds here. From the golden eagles, dotterel and ptarmigan of the high tops, to the black grouse, small pearl-bordered fritillaries and dragonflies of the lower slopes there is much to see and enjoy. Look more closely and you might glimpse rare alpine speedwells, saxifrages and hawkweeds as well as a host of native trees.

1

1

Loch Lag

gan

To Newtonmore(A86)

To Fort William

Creag Mhòr

Moy CorrieAn Cearcallach

Meall CoireChoillearais

PuistCoireÀrdair

Sròn a’ Ghoire

Coire Chrannaig

Na Cnapanan

Aberarder Forest

Meall ant-Snaim

Carn Liath

Sròn a’ Gharbh Choire

Am Meall

Coire C

hoillearais

Cre

ag T

hars

ainn

Coire Chomharsain

Creag Bheag

24

5

6

Our suggested walk is along the red dotted line, the numbered stops 1 to 6 point out what you can see from the walk. Limited parking

Picnic area

Key

Trail

Toilets

Information

Reserve boundary

Start of trail

Viewpoint

Wheelchair access

Aberarder

3


Creag Meagaidh, in the heart of the Highlands, is well known as a great high-level walk with its three Munros. The route we have featured is less challenging, but the walk from the shores of Loch Laggan into the magnificent Coire Ardair gives you a real feel for its natural highlights.The walk starts on the flat land where the burns flowing from Creag Meagaidh meet Loch Laggan. This would have been valuable farmland to past human inhabitants, and we are cultivating the fields again, sowing conservation crops to provide a winter food source for farmland birds such as chaffinch, brambling, linnet and twite. The alder trees along the river here are some of the Reserve’s oldest inhabitants and have grown here for hundreds of years. Look out for large flocks of siskin and redpolls feeding on alder cones and also visiting our bird feeding station.

As the path climbs higher, beyond the Reserve base at Aberarder, you pass through a thriving young birch woodland. Birch trees can live to 80 or 100 years but most of these are much younger. They date from the time that Creag Meagaidh became a National Nature Reserve. In past times the birch woods would have cloaked much of the lower slopes of the hills here, and we are trying to restore them to their former glory. The woods are a summer home to willow warblers and tree pipits and plants like wood cranesbill and globeflower grow among their shelter. As summer gives way to autumn and winter the birches provide colour – their leaves changing to gold and then dropping off to reveal bare purple twigs.

Birch woodland gives way to open moorland, and in autumn the russet hues of heather and deer grass add colour to any walk. This zone, where woodland meets moor, is the favourite place for the beautiful black grouse. Numbers of black grouse here have been increasing as their habitat expands and you can see them roosting in birch trees. In spring time they gather on traditional courtship areas, or ‘leks’, where males compete for the chance to breed with hen grouse. Be sure to plan a visit in the spring to see this spectacle. In autumn the rowan trees will be laden with berries – look out for migrant thrushes such as fieldfares and redwing, as well as our locally breeding ring ouzels. These migrants will be filling up before heading for the mountains of North Africa to spend the winter.

1 Regeneration has seen the return of mixed woodland communities to the area.

2 Siskin feeding on alder.

3 The zone between wood and moor changes gradually and is important for wildlife.

4 The spectacular black grouse is a resident on this popular Reserve.

1 2 3

42

3


Creag Meagaidh NNR lies roughly half-way between Fort William and Newtonmore on the A86 by Loch Laggan. The reserve is open all year. There are toilets, a picnic area, car park and trails for different abilities.

OS mapsExplorer 401 (Loch Laggan & Creag Meagaidh)Landranger 42 (Glen Garry & Loch Rannoch)

Trail lengthsWaymarked trails make it easy to explore Creag Meagaidh. The Alderwood Trail is suitable for all abilities. Situated next to the car park and about 1.1km or 0.7miles long this is a superb place to see alder trees and owls, redpolls and siskins are resident here. Allow 30 minutes.

The Allt Dubh Trail takes you to the edge of the hill land where you can glimpse great views of the reserve. There is a poem by Sorley MacLean carved into stones by the path. Surfaces are good but there are some steep steps and slopes and stout footwear is essential. 1.8 km or 1.1 miles long, please allow about one hour.

The An Sidehean Trail is1km or 0.6 miles long, and skirts the fields you can see from the car park. Watch for black grouse and woodcock along the way. You may see Highland cattle too as we plough and farm these fields, keeping the environment close to what it would have been like when people farmed this land.

TerrainThe walks are on hard surfaces, but

there are some steep climbs and steps involved. You’ll need good walking shoes, and warm clothes and waterproofs.

DogsPlease follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and local guidance at the reserve. Please keep your dog(s) under close control or on a short lead at sensitive times and comply with any notices you see. A short lead is taken to be two metres, and ‘under close control’ means that the dog is able to respond to your commands and kept close at heel.

Nearby natural attractionsHeading from the reserve towards Fort William you will have an opportunity to visit Glen Roy. Travellers and local people alike have long been fascinated by the Parallel Roads of Lochaber which are striking horizontal lines on the hillsides of Glen Roy, Glen Gloy and Glen Spean. In the 19th century, the Parallel Roads attracted the attention of many of the founding fathers of modern geology, including the Reverend William Buckland, James Geikie, Charles Darwin, Charles Lyell and Joseph Prestwich. This interest ensured that the Parallel Roads, and Glen Roy in particular, featured prominently in the development of geological science.

Further informationYou can contact SNH on 01528 544265. You can also download a leaflet about the reserve at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/creag-meagaidh/publications

Creag Meagaidh is a good place to spot the bigger birds of mountain and moorland. Look out for ravens soaring high in search of deer carrion and listen out for their “pruk–pruk” call. Golden eagles nest on the rocky crags of Creag Meagaidh, and, as for ravens, deer carrion is an important source of food for them in winter. In February the eagles start breeding, and will be building up their nests in preparation.

Red deer are the most common deer on Creag Meagaidh and keeping the numbers in balance with woodland regeneration is the main management we need to carry out. In the summer the deer tend to graze the higher ground on the Reserve, while in the winter they come down to the woods and low ground for shelter. During the autumn the stags challenge each other for the right to mate with the hinds, and their bellowing roars over open hillsides are one of the most exciting sounds of the Scottish autumn.

Eventually the path reaches Coire Ardair. This dramatic horseshoe of sheer cliffs was carved during the last ice age by a huge glacier. Its towering cliffs are in shade for most of the winter and attract hordes of intrepid ice climbers in cold weather. The shady security of the crags shelters special plants such as alpine speedwell and rare mountain willows.

Essential information

5 Stunning Coire Ardair is one the most impressive features on the Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve.

4 5 6

5


Fossils of the far north

For a small country, Scotland has an amazingly varied geology. To celebrate Year of Natural Scotland, we stepped back in time to explore the fossils of Caithness and Sutherland.

Palaeontologist Professor Nigel Trewin of Aberdeen University talked about our fossil heritage at the Environmental Research Institute, Thurso, and at Timespan, Helmsdale. These events were followed by fossil forays at Achanarras Quarry and along the Helmsdale Coast. Professor Trewin’s new book, Scottish Fossils, has just been published by Dunedin Academic Press.

Achanarras Quarry and the Helmsdale Coast are both geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Achanarras is a disused Caithness flagstone quarry and world renowned for its well-preserved fish of Middle Devonian age (c.385 million years ago). The Helmsdale Coast in east Sutherland is important for its fossilised marine creatures from the Jurassic period (c.150 million years ago).

Over 50 people attended the outdoor events. A number of different fossil fish species were found at Achanarras and a sunny walk along Helmsdale beach at low tide revealed fossil corals, belemnites and ammonites.

In search of Orkney’s Big 5

Scotland’s Big 5 has been a flagship campaign in Year of Natural Scotland. As part of our celebrations in Orkney, we were keen to give our wildlife the fame it deserves by putting our own five special species in the limelight.

Area staff chose their top five for Orkney and then promoted these at local events: – hen harrier, – fulmar, – Scottish primrose (Primula scotica), – curlew, – seals.

Although we thought our five species would be strong candidates as Orkney’s Big 5, we wanted to get local folk involved in choosing a final Big 5 for the islands.

At Orkney’s County Show we asked the public to vote for their ‘favourite five’ from amongst our range of stunning wildlife. This sparked a lively debate and a steady stream of people filling in their voting cards.

After the show a grand total of 1,191 votes were recorded and these were for over 120 different species!

The final Big 5 was announced at the Orkney Science Festival in early September and the chosen five were, in order of popularity; seal, puffin, hen harrier, Scottish primrose (Primula scotica), and curlew.

The sounds of Shetland

At the beginning of June a crowd of people gathered in the darkened auditorium of Shetland’s new arts venue ‘Mareel’ and sat or lay on the floor in silence while weird and wonderful natural sounds – including stridulating ants, drumming snipe and popping pistol shrimps – played all around.

This free public event was the culmination of a three-day sound-recording course led by Chris Watson and funded by SNH as part of our celebrations of Year of Natural Scotland. Chris Watson is a leader in his field and his work has won BAFTAs for a number of David Attenborough series. He was also a founding member of seminal electro-pop band Cabaret Voltaire!

As well as being impressed by the state-of-the-art sound facilities at Mareel, Chris was also taken by the lack of noise pollution in Shetland, something he said was exceptional in the UK.

The sound course and performance was the first of a host of events in Shetland as part of Year of Natural Scotland, including the highly successful Shetland Nature Festival held in the first week of July.

SNH Area NewsNorthern Isles and North HighlandCorrespondents: Karen Reid, Christine Skene, Juan Brown

Local surveys

A major volunteer recording project, supported by an SNH grant and co-ordinated by the Forth Naturalist and Historian (FNH), is documenting changes over time in the biodiversity of the Forth Valley area. FNH was founded in 1975 and aims to promote understanding of the natural and cultural heritage of the area.

FNH publishes a journal and is a repository for biological records. The 2013 ‘What's Changed’ project has been repeating surveys published in earlier volumes to see how things have changed.

Eight surveys are being undertaken, including monitoring changes in giant hogweed populations along the Allan Water; pond ecology at Tailend Moss; sticky catchfly on cliff ledges in the Ochil Hills; and hoverflies of the Stirling area.

Surveys have been led by local organisations including Stirling Council Ranger Service, Buglife Scotland and Stirling University Nature Society. Each survey has involved training volunteers – from students to retirees. Thousands of records have been collected and will be made available on the National Biodiversity Network.

The results of these surveys will be displayed at the FNH Conference on 16 November which all are welcome to attend. See http://ow.ly/oJfzl for more information.

Fife’s knitted nature

To mark Year of Natural Scotland, Fife’s rich natural heritage is being celebrated through an ambitious knitting project.

Bringing together knitters from across the county, the project is the result of collaboration between members of Fife Council’s Biodiversity Team and staff at SNH’s Cupar office.

From a list of animals, plants, birds, fungi and invertebrates which are iconic, threatened, or play an important role in Fife, the talented group produced some wonderful items, everything from earthworms to dolphins, fly agaric toadstools to seaweed. Great-crested newts, bluebells and kingfishers also feature.

Launched in May, the knitted plants and animals are now on tour around the Kingdom. They’ve already appeared at the Fife show and landed at the Earthship visitor centre in Kinghorn. They have served as clues in a treasure trail at Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve’s Open Day and sailed across to the Isle of May for a Year of Natural Scotland Arts Festival.

Everywhere they go, they attract plenty of attention, providing opportunities to raise awareness of Fife’s non-knitted nature!

If you’d like to see more of the knitted plants and animals, check out the photos on Fife’s Knitted Nature Facebook page.

SNH Area NewsForthCorrespondents: Sarah Eaton, Caroline Crawford, Dave Pickett

May opportunity

The Isle of May National Nature Reserve is well known as a spectacular place to see seabirds and seals.

The island’s interest doesn’t end there, however, as it also has a rich cultural and historical story to tell. Over 5,000 or so years it has been a base for monks, pilgrims, fishermen, the military, and even smugglers.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the island’s history is its lighthouses. Scotland’s first ever lighthouse – the Beacon – built in 1636 is on the island, while the main lighthouse, which resembles a castle, was designed in the early 19th century by renowned engineer Robert Stevenson.

Another interest is the elaborate foghorn system, which stretches from a central engine room via air compressors to two large foghorns at either end of the island.

You can view the outside of these buildings at any time, but once a year in September these and other buidlings, including a smaller lighthouse and the keepers cottages, are opened up to the public for the day as part of SNH’s contribution to Fife Doors Open Days.

Follow the Isle of May blog online for details of the 2014 event.


More than bricks and mortar

Taynish Mill, nestled within the oakwoods of Taynish National Nature Reserve by the shores of Loch Sween, has been given a new lease of life. Restoration work using traditional lime mortar to stabilise the stonework has now been completed and the Reserve team are considering how to use the Mill and tell the story of Taynish’s people and wildlife.

At present it has no roof, but suggestions to use this magical space as an interpretation area have been made. If you have any ideas on this, we’d love to hear them. Email your suggestions to [email protected].

The mill has a long history and is first mentioned in 1724 in an ‘obligation of the MacNeill’s Taynish estate’. This water-powered mill was a hub of activity in its working years and continues to be a hub with a different nature in the present day.

The Mill attracts a wide variety of species including dragonflies such as the Highland darter which bask in sunshine on the stonework of the Mill. Recent visitors to the Mill have also included otters. Go to our website to view images of before and after restoration. www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/taynish.

Machair fun day

SNH staff in Uist celebrated Year of Natural Scotland (YNS) with a Machair Fun Day at Lionacleit, Benbecula. There was a scavenger hunt, a guided walk, a Big 5 Vote, a sand castle competition, face painting, story-telling and craft session, tours around the Sustainable Uibhist garden, an ice-cream van and barbeque.

Nets and insect boxes were provided for the scavenger hunt – we were so impressed with the range of mini-beasts the children caught, including belted beauty caterpillar, great yellow bumblebee and even a dragonfly! Highlights from the guided walk were the six-spot burnet moth (a vivid day-flying moth), and a group of pyramidal orchids.

The local library ran one of their popular story-telling and craft sessions as part of their YNS celebrations. They covered a different wildlife theme each week during the school holidays.

We had perfect weather for the day, there was a good turnout and everyone enjoyed themselves. We would like to thank all those who supported us including: the library staff; Maria Scholten (community garden); Brannigan’s face painting; the Barra ice-cream van; the Dark Island Hotel; and Stephen Peteranna and Andrew MacKinnon, who gave us permission to use their land.

SNH Area News

Correspondents: Mags Russell , Stan Phillips, Johanne Ferguson

Bryophyte bliss on BBC

With the visual extravaganza of our summer machair flowers fresh in the memory, it’s easy to forget that our old oak woodlands on the west coast are home to a huge diversity of less well known species of plants.

Mosses, liverworts and lichens carpet the ground, rocks and trees in these woodlands, forming one of the most diverse places on the planet for these plants.

This was the key message of a BBC Landward programme being filmed in Kintyre.

Operations Officer Stan Phillips discussed the rich moss and liverwort flora of Claonaig Wood, on the east coast of Kintyre, with Landward presenter Dougie Vipond. The north of Kintyre is a special place for rock fingerwort, Lepidozia cupressina, a liverwort that Stan likens to a handful of small green worms. This is a species which enjoys our west coast damp, humid conditions a little more than we do at times.

It was difficult for the Landward team to get a real close-up of the rock fingerwort, but Colin MacLure, the cameraman, expertly improvised Stan’s magnifying lens to reveal the complexity and detail of this miniature plant. The programme is due to be shown on the BBC in October 2013.

Argyll and Outer Hebrides

The Big Event

Cairnsmore of Fleet NNR hosted the very best of traditional Scottish folk music and an outdoor theatre extravaganza as part of its Year of Natural Scotland celebrations. The Big Event provided a wonderful afternoon of free entertainment in one of south-west Scotland’s wildest and most dramatic landscapes.

The talented Fèis Rois musicians entertained visitors with their beautifully-crafted songs and tunes, including many with a nature theme. They were part of the National Ceilidh Trail tour, a professional development opportunity for outstanding young musicians to hone their performance skills and experience life as touring artists. Organised by Fèis Rois, one of Scotland’s leading youth arts organisations, the tour was supported by SNH as part of its initiative to have greater Gaelic representation in Year of Natural Scotland events.

Acclaimed performance company Oceanallover amazed onlookers with their theatrical creation ‘Pollen’. Inspired by the marvellous shapes and connections in the microscopic forms of pollen, the production explored the rich links between art and nature through dance, music and spectacular costume.

The event was funded by Creative Scotland and SNH, and was part of the first-ever Environmental Art Festival Scotland.

Tetrapods splash out

Newly discovered fossils in south-east Scotland could provide vital clues to a crucial period of evolutionary history. The finds have been made near Coldstream, along the Burnmouth coast, and on the banks and bed of the River Whiteadder near Chirnside.

The fossils date from the Early Carboniferous period between 360 and 340 million years ago when four-limbed vertebrates (tetrapods) first moved from water onto land.

Although this was an important step in the evolution of life on Earth, the fossil record for this period was almost non-existent. Little is known therefore about how the tetrapods evolved and adapted to a life on land.

A new research project has now brought together an expert team of scientists to study the finds and continue work in the field. As most of the fossil localities have statutory protection as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, the work has to have consent from SNH before it can be carried out.

Like amateur collectors, the professional palaeontologists will be following the best practice as set out in the Scottish Fossil Code. The Code was prepared by SNH and launched in 2008 to safeguard Scotland’s fossil heritage.

SNH Area NewsSouthern ScotlandCorrespondent: Trevor Godden

Nature on the trails

Three new trails – all in Southern Scotland – have been added to the national network of long distance routes, known as Scotland’s Great Trails. Suitable for multi-day journeys as well as shorter trips, they offer great opportunities to get close to nature.

The Romans and Reivers Route from Ae Forest to Hawick follows old Roman roads, forest tracks and quiet lanes through the heart of Reivers country. While you no longer need to keep an eye out for the notorious livestock raiders, do look out for birds of prey such as short-eared owl, buzzard and goshawk.

Starting from the Pentland Hills, the 52-mile Cross Borders Drove Road follows the route used by drovers taking their beasts to market. Offering a great variety of scenery, this trail takes you over rolling hills, through hidden valleys and across the glorious Borders countryside to Hawick.

If you’re fond of seascapes and salty air, sand-dunes and seabirds, the Mull of Galloway Trail in the far south-west offers plenty of wildlife sights all year round.

These well-marked, high quality paths through some of our finest scenery are a great way to explore some of the region’s best landscapes and nature.

For further information, visit www.scotlandsgreattrails.org.uk.


Woolly climb for MSP

Graeme Dey, MSP for Angus South, accompanied by SNH’s chief executive, Ian Jardine, and local staff, visited Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve this summer. Graeme visited the Angus Glens to learn more about the rare woolly willow.

So-called because of its hairy leaves, it’s critically endangered in the UK due to grazing, changing land use, and declining snow cover. Of 13 remaining populations, only four have more than 100 plants – the total number is probably fewer than 1800 plants.

Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens grew willow plants from Corrie Fee seed, and SNH planted the tiny plants in Corrie Fee with the help of volunteers. SNH and neighbouring landowners have been managing deer to reduce grazing and trampling on upland vegetation, greatly improving the woolly willow’s chances of survival in the area.

Earlier this year, Graeme lent his support to the threatened plant species by choosing to become Species Champion for woolly willow. The Species Champion initiative www.scotlink.org/public/work/species-champions.php is led by Scottish Environment LINK and invited all MSPs to choose from a list of 93 species currently facing significant threats to their future, and champion their survival.

Seen Scotland’s Big 5 yet?

There have been many sightings of Scotland’s Big 5 in Tayside and Grampian this year. They were seen having afternoon tea at the Turriff Show with local MSP Alison McInnes. They were in the grounds of SNH’s Perth office at Battleby during the Celebrating Nature Day.

They were even seen running in a number of fun runs throughout Scotland including the Perth Kilt Run. This event had 1300 runners, including John Swinney, MSP and Pete Wishart, MP. Also featured was a 10-man Chinese Dragon and this helped secure the official record for the world’s largest kilt run!

The Scotland’s Big 5 campaign is using five of Scotland’s most recognisable wild animals to encourage more people to get out and enjoy Scotland’s fantastic wildlife. And so much of that wildlife is on your own doorstep. The SNH website has lots of advice on where to look for Scotland’s Big 5 - and you can even vote for your own favourite. So what are you waiting for……

www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/year-of-natural-scotland-2013/scotlands-big-5-celebrations

SNH Area NewsTayside and GrampianCorrespondents: Sandra Penman, Shona Smith, Ewen Cameron

Something for everyone

When we encourage people to ‘Enjoy the Outdoors’, most people get out their bird books, walking boots or mountain bike. But there are other ways to appreciate Scotland.

A photography competition for Aberdeen’s secondary schools is a great way of discovering some of nature’s fascinating details.

We support community art classes on our National Nature Reserve at Forvie and have an artist in residence at Loch Leven, helping visitors create their own pieces inspired by the Reserve. The blog has more…. http://lochlevennnr.wordpress.com

We’ve also supported a community music project, inspired by the National Nature Reserve at Dinnet: http://musicforcommunities.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/burn-of-sound.html

North East Scotland Biological Records Centre run wildlife identification courses, but also this year the intriguingly titled – “Look what the cat brought in!” With so few small mammal records, this is a way of ensuring little feline presents make a positive contribution to scientific knowledge.

www.nesbrec.org.uk/modules/whatsnew/index.php

Scotland’s outdoors has something for everyone. Our nature reserves are a good starting point, with free events throughout the year. http://ow.ly/p2RKG

Thanks for the Manx

Visitors to Rum National Nature Reserve experienced a guided walk with a difference this year, in the shape of a night-time visit to a mountainside colony of a very special seabird.

The island is home to Scotland’s largest population of Manx shearwaters, making up almost one-third of the world’s population.

Although they are most often seen at sea, the shearwaters nest in burrows high in the mountains, and only return to their nests at night. They spend the summer on Rum, rearing their single chick, before undertaking an incredible winter migration, flying along the coast of South America to the Falkland Islands, before returning to Rum by way of the African coast – a round trip of more than 13,000 miles.

The expedition, led by the Isle of Rum Community Ranger Service and SNH, took people up to the colony on the slopes of Hallival, to observe the birds as they return to their burrows under cover of darkness.

It was a great experience for people to hear the distinctive, eerie call of the returning adults and catch a glimpse of the fledging young as they prepare for their first transatlantic migration.

River makeover

A Highland river has received a makeover as part of a project to restore wildlife habitats and improve flood management.

The Allt Lorgy, in the catchment of the River Spey, was modified many years ago to stop flooding of farmland – gravel was dredged from its channel and some rock armouring installed in the banks.

As part of the Spey Catchment Initiative all of these artificial barriers were removed with the aim of improving the ecological balance, both in the water and the surrounding area. Gravel from the banks was put back into the river and logs and woody debris introduced in the channel to create eddies and pools, all of which helps produce a variety of in-stream habitats and will benefit salmon.

With time the river will find its own course again and be able to spill onto its natural flood plain in heavy rain. This helps to conserve salmon spawning and reconnects the river with its flood plain.

Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, Paul Wheelhouse, visited the site earlier this year and helped local children from Carrbridge Primary School plant native trees.

International connections

Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve helped celebrate Year of Natural Scotland this August by hosting an International Arts residency - ‘Ceangal’ (Gaelic for ‘connections’).

The participating artists travelled from Poland, France, Japan, India and other parts of Scotland. This is the second of these residencies to run in Wester Ross and is organised by Gairloch artist Lynn Bennett Mackenzie in collaboration with Somu Desai from India. Lynn studied at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and has exhibited at several community projects including The Big Picture and Wild Wood.

The artists all stayed in the Scottish Natural Heritage field station at Kinlochewe and spent the first few days on excursions to familiarise themselves with the local area before creating artwork around the reserve inspired by their experiences. All the artists worked in a range of different media. Community involvement is a strong part of the project and local people provided donations of baking, meals and put on a ceilidh for the visitors.

Local people were invited to come along and meet the artists and take part in workshops on mosaics and ephemeral art. The project finished with a public show in Kinlochewe village hall.

For more information check out: http://ceangalart.blogspot.co.uk

SNH Area NewsSouth HighlandCorrespondent: Lesley Watt, Anne Elliot, Kenny Nelson

www.snh.gov.uk 4948 The Nature of Scotland

The Lanark office

The Lanark office has relocated to Hamilton after over 20 years in the town.

Aside from the former Lanark office building being susceptible to flooding and allegedly haunted, the move was driven by the need for us to become smaller, smarter and more efficient under the Efficient Government Initiative.

In our search for a new office we unfortunately couldn’t find suitable premises in Lanark. Luckily enough the Scottish Government’s Agriculture Food and Rural Communities Directorate: Rural Payments and Inspections Division and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency had space for us in their water-tight office in Hamilton! Sharing with these government departments has allowed us to make substantial savings in office running costs and has reduced the amount of energy we use, making us a ‘greener’ office.

We are now only a stone’s throw from the South Lanarkshire Council and Forestry Commission Scotland offices. This means we can walk to many of our meetings, helping us to further cut our CO emissions and also get fitter!

We can now be contacted at Scottish Natural Heritage, Cadzow Court, 3 Wellhall Road, Hamilton ML3 9BG. Telephone: 01698 421668.

Last rhododendron cut

Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park (CMRP)is celebrating the removal of its last rhododendron. The park has been plagued by the quick-growing alien species which out competes native plants since it was introduced to the area as an ornamental species in Victorian days.

The last rhododendron was cut down by Park Authority Chairman Cllr. Chris Gilmour, who said “Removing the rhododendron will make the area more biodiverse as native plants and wildflowers will be able to recolonise the area, providing food and new habitat for invertebrates and birds.”

While some people appreciate the pink bloom of the rhododendron ponticum, the dangers far outweigh any aesthetical value. The plant can make the surrounding soil acidic, toxic to other species, and can also carry disease, such as sudden oak death, passing it on to the surrounding trees.

Under the 25 year Woodland Plan developed for Muirshiel with the Forestry Commission, the planting of new trees gives a good mix of species and complements the existing woodland. The thick canopy formed by the evergreen rhododendron leaves previously blocked out light meaning it was impossible for young trees and plants to survive.

SNH Area NewsStrathclyde and AyrshireCorrespondents: Debbie Skinner, Claire Paterson (CMRP), Fiona Fisher

Arran show

Scottish Natural Heritage was kindly invited along to participate in the annual Arran Farmers’ Society Show at Glenkiln, Lamlash again this year.

The event is a showcase of the island’s produce and culture and is a chance for the locals to get together and for visitors to learn about what Arran has to offer, including this year’s SNH topic – the Big 5.

Red squirrel, red deer, otter, harbour seal and golden eagle are a huge attraction for tourists and Arran is the ideal place to find them.

The forestry plantations are host to the red squirrel which thrive here in the absence of its grey cousin. Red deer are abundant on the hillsides and will often venture down to the coast line and even into local gardens!

Seals can be seen sunning themselves on the coastal rocks somewhat oblivious to the watching public – provided people don’t get too close!

Otters too can be seen feeding and playing on the coast and will often set up home in a rocky crevice. The golden eagle can be best spotted from the island's whisky distillery as it soars through the air in search of a meal.

Twelve young Scottish ospreys have been released on the north Spanish coast near Bilbao, as the first stage of a five-year project to restore breeding ospreys to the Basque country.

The project follows on from an earlier project in Andalucia which helped Spain restore breeding ospreys to the mainland of the country and involved birds from Germany, Finland and Scotland.

Last year, the Biscay Regional Council and the Urdaibai Bird Center asked Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) for permission for the project. SNH issued a special licence to Roy Dennis of the Highland Foundation for Wildlife to collect 12 young ospreys from nests with more than one young in the Scottish Highlands and Moray.

Susan Davies, SNH’s Director of Policy & Advice, said: “Ospreys are doing well in Scotland, so we’re in a terrific position to be able to help reintroduce these wonderful birds. A population of breeding ospreys in the Basque country should make the overall population in Europe stronger.”

In early July this year, suitable nests were visited between Caithness and Strathspey and 12 young birds were selected. Birds were inspected by Jane Harley of the Grantown-on-Spey vet practice on 8 July and at dawn the next day they were taken to Aberdeen airport and flown by British Airways to Heathrow.

Roy Dennis and Dr Aitor Galarza from the Biscay Department of the Environment accompanied the ospreys

and were able to feed them en route to Spain at the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow Airport.

Later that night, they reached the specially-built cages overlooking Urdaibai estuary to the north of Bilbao. Three birds were placed in each cage and were fed by the bird centre staff on fresh fish delivered through openings in the back of cages. The young ospreys were unable to see the people feeding them and during July they grew to full-size, learnt to fly and were able to watch activities on the estuary.

The birds were released at Urdaibai estuary, which is regularly used by migrating Scottish ospreys travelling to and from West Africa in spring and autumn. In fact, it was the temporary home in spring 2008 of the famous osprey, Logie, tracked by Roy Dennis using the first GPS satellite transmitter fitted to a British osprey. At that time, Dr Galarza, who is now involved in the osprey reintroduction, found and photographed Logie. This resulted in a partnership between Scotland and the Basque country to restore breeding ospreys.

Dr Galarza, the project director, said, “We are so pleased that we have young ospreys flying in Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve at the start of an exciting project. There is huge public interest and we are most grateful to Scotland for their support.”

Scottish ospreys in Spain

1 Young ospreys from Scotland are helping re-establish populations in the Basque region of Spain.

2


Scottish Natural Heritage works in tandem with various organisations to look after Scotland’s precious environment,and a key relationship is with Historic Scotland. Whilst Historic Scotland’s main concern is architectural and archaeological heritage, it is to Scotland’s advantage that we clearly appreciate that monuments can be best understood in their natural setting.

Although our status is soon to change, Historic Scotland is currently an Executive agency within the Scottish Government, responsible to Ministers for safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. Our remit includes scheduling monuments and listing significant buildings and taking into care some of the most significant historic sites.

Historic Scotland currently has more than 340 properties in care. These represent a wide-ranging cross-section of Scotland’s monuments, from Neolithic settlements to major fortifications and royal residences; from ecclesiastical structures to more recent industrial sites.

The presentation of these sites to visitors through interpretation is one of the main ways of fulfilling our statutory requirement to promote understanding and enjoyment of the historic environment.

The management of sites obviously centres on their cultural significance; however, the natural heritage is also an important consideration. Twenty years ago, Historic Scotland began a process of surveying the flora and fauna at the properties in its care. These surveys have identified many sites where there is wildlife of local and even national importance. They have also identified plants which have cultural significance and provide evidence of the site’s history.

History and nature in harmony

Mousa broch’s isolated position makes it a perfect breeding ground for storm petrels.

Many people recognise Historic Scotland for its care of castles, abbeys and stone circles, but as Bob Tevendale explains there is a careful balance to be struck between historic and natural heritage concerns.

1


A home for storm petrels

The tiny island of Mousa in Shetland – about 10 miles south of Lerwick – has the most perfectly preserved broch tower in Scotland. Mousa’s isolated location not only preserved its structure but has also made it the ideal nesting site for storm petrels. Thousands of these birds nest in the cracks and crevices within the 2000 year-old broch walls.

Other sites are important owing to the lack of human intervention in the form of agriculture. Some sites have always been special and left alone – for example the Ring of Brodgar on the Orkney mainland. The wildflower meadow surrounding the ring is full of bird’s-foot trefoil, a favourite food of the rare great yellow and moss carder bumblebees.

Auchindoun Castle in Speyside is located on an isolated limestone outcrop. It is surrounded by banks and ditches, which may well be the remains of an Iron Age fort. These earthworks have mixed the underlying limestone with the soil, giving a very alkaline earth that has fostered an interesting array of wildflowers including bloody cranesbill, frog orchid, eyebright and thyme.

But human intervention can also create habitats for wildlife. The cellars at Doune Castle, for example, are used as a roost all year round by pipistrelle, Daubenton’s, Natterer’s and long-eared bats.

Many sites have plants associated with their history. Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh used to have formal and vegetable gardens. Within the grounds there are wallflower, common and dwarf mallow, hedgerow cranesbill and wild celery – non-native plants probably grown for their aesthetic appeal. Some, such as black horehound, feverfew and again wild celery, may have been grown as medicinal plants, whilst Good King Henry was grown as a vegetable similar to spinach.

Helping barn owls

At many of our sites we have tried to improve biodiversity by introducing new management regimes. Spynie

Palace, just north of Elgin, is home not only to bats, but also to nesting barn owls. Here, the mowing plan was altered to allow much of the grass to grow. This provides a suitable habitat for invertebrates and small mammals, which in turn provides food for the owls. It also allows the grass to set seed.

Some historical planting can create problems. Castle Campbell stands at the head of Dollar Glen, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which now has a large number of Rhododendron ponticum. This invasive species is spreading. This is a problem in itself, but in addition rhododendron is susceptible to the ‘sudden oak death’ pathogen. We are therefore looking to eradicate it here and from the wider Historic Scotland estate.

Other plants and animals can become a problem for the management of historic sites. Trees and burrowing animals are not good for archaeology: both can cause artefacts to become displaced, making it impossible to understand the site and interpret the evidence properly.

The Caterthuns

In recent years there have been changes in the agriculture of Scotland. For example, a combination of foot and mouth disease and changes to subsidies has dramatically reduced the number of sheep. The impact of this has been seen at the Brown and White Caterthuns, two large prehistoric hill forts in Angus. The White Caterthun is still grazed by sheep, whilst the Brown, which is a grouse moor, is not. This has resulted in the appearance of ash and rowan seedlings at the Brown Caterthun, which will have to be removed to safeguard the archaeology.

Rabbits are also a problem at the Caterthuns. Their burrows not

Some plants and animals can be a problem for the management of sites

only cause damage and destabilise the remains, but their burrowing can remove artefacts along with the soil. Extreme cases can alter the nature of the site, making it difficult to explain to visitors, and leaving it open to further erosion by wind and rain.

So Historic Scotland’s main concern will always be with architectural and archaeological heritage, but visitors can rest assured that we recognise and cherish the natural environment in our care. Achieving a balance between our statutory duty to conserve Scotland’s properties in care and the interests of the natural environment at those sites is an endless and fascinating challenge.

Find out more at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

Follow our blog for updates from our Natural Heritage Advisor. Discover what we do to protect and improve wildflife at our sites at http://yearofnatural.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

3

2

2 Storm petrels nest in the 2000 year-old broch in Mousa, Shetland.

3 The barn owl is a welcome resident in some older properties.


Lost at sea? Understanding the Atlantic salmon’s ocean odyssey

1

Atlantic salmon face many challenges; numbers returning from the ocean to spawn have declined.

The Atlantic salmon’s migrations have fascinated mankind for generations but the numbers returning from the ocean to their natal rivers have been declining.

Rivers all around the North Atlantic have been affected to varying degrees but until recently relatively little was known about the salmon during its ocean odyssey.

Dr Peter Hutchinson, of the Edinburgh-based intergovernmental North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (www.nasco.int) and Dr John Baxter, of Scottish Natural Heritage, provide an overview here of some fascinating new insights.

With approximately 400 of the 2,500 salmon rivers flowing into the North Atlantic, Scotland is a major stronghold of wild Atlantic salmon that is a source of considerable economic benefits.

On a North Atlantic-wide basis, scientists estimate that the number of salmon, prior to any fisheries, has halved since the 1980s, due largely to a marked decline in survival rates at sea. The most severe declines have been for salmon stocks in North America and southern parts of the species' European range (including the UK and Ireland) and particularly for salmon spending more than one winter at sea.

1


Extensive research has revealed much about the factors affecting juvenile salmon production in fresh water. However, with the exception of information obtained from the distant-water fisheries at Greenland, around the Faroe Islands (up to 2000) and in the Northern Norwegian Sea (prior to 1984), very limited information was available on where salmon go at sea and the migration routes used. Research at sea is expensive and many factors may affect salmon during their marine phase. So the challenges facing scientists in better understanding the cause or causes of their decline were substantial and the need for international cooperation was great.

Recent studies

Taking advantage of recent advances in marine sampling, genetic techniques for stock identification, electronic tagging technology, analysis of salmon scales, and other innovative approaches, an international programme of cooperative research on salmon at sea was launched in 2006 and included freshwater, estuarine, coastal and offshore components. The priority was to investigate the distribution and migration of salmon in the ocean through marine surveys, see www.salmonatsea.com.

Scientists now have a more

comprehensive overview of the migration and distribution pattern of salmon in their first year at sea (post-smolts) within the vast area of ocean available to them, allowing the factors influencing them to be investigated and potentially for the number of fish returning to spawn to be predicted more accurately. The salmon’s migration and distribution pattern has been shown to be closely linked to ocean currents, and initial investigations suggest that annual differences in wind strength and direction, and thus the surface currents, alter the migration pathways followed by the young fish.

Major differences in migration routes between southern and northern European salmon stocks have been identified and important factors influencing their survival have been noted.

By reading salmon scales (similar to the approach used in ageing trees) scientists were able to investigate variations in growth of post-smolts in the North-East Atlantic. Marine growth rates varied annually but generally growth rates and the condition of the young salmon declined during the period studied. Growth rates during the first few months at sea, which are linked to oceanic conditions, were lowest for salmon of southernmost origin and it is these stocks that have seen the most marked decline in abundance.

The diets of salmon, herring and mackerel were also studied and, although the three species feed in close proximity, their diets differed, suggesting little direct competition for prey between salmon and these abundant species, although herring and mackerel may consume food items important to the salmon’s prey.

Research has also shown that larger salmon can dive to extraordinary depths and migrate to the edge of the ice sheets.

Other recent research has provided evidence that salmon stocks are being affected by changing environmental conditions at sea, with climate change effects cascading through the marine food chain and affecting salmon.

There has been a widespread increase in sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic over the last three decades. This shift to a warmer regime has been accompanied by marked changes in the abundance and quality (energy content) of the prey of the salmon. A northward movement of some other fish and plankton prey species of salmon has been detected and some prey have been replaced by species of lower nutritional value.

Factors operating in fresh water may also have an impact on salmon populations at sea and manifest themselves as increases in marine mortality. For example, higher water

temperatures in rivers may result in earlier migration to sea at a time when ocean conditions may be less favourable for post-smolt growth and survival.

Further changes in the climate of the North Atlantic are anticipated, but predictions of the nature and extent of these changes are uncertain. There will be challenges for both managers and the salmon in adapting to the new and uncertain conditions. Since management options in the ocean are limited, it will be important to maximise the number of healthy, wild salmon that go to sea.

Salmon managers however, have valuable new information and tools at

their disposal. Improved understanding of the distribution and migration of salmon at sea, and predictive computer models, should improve assessments of the scale of incidental catches of salmon in the large-scale fisheries for mackerel and herring, and the need for measures to protect salmon.

New genetic tools have significant application, e.g. in the management of mixed-stock fisheries. Genetic studies also indicate that stocking could reduce the ability of wild salmon to adapt to a warming climate and both the costs and benefits should be carefully considered.

Advances in tracking individual salmon allow survival to be estimated along the migration route and can assist

managers in considering the potential impacts of human activities, such as renewable energy schemes, in coastal waters.

If knowledge is the key to rational management, then recent scientific advances should improve North Atlantic-wide conservation efforts to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy and benefit from this iconic and highly prized species.

Find out more: The Royal Society of Edinburgh is holding a discussion forum on the evening of 26 November 2013 entitled ‘Lost at Sea? The Atlantic Salmon’s Ocean Odyssey’ see www.royalsoced.org.uk/events.

2 Scales provide valuable insights into the marine growth of salmon and how this is affected by oceanic conditions.

3 Inspecting the catch from a research survey trawl.

3

2

Larger salmon can migrate to the edge of ice sheets


Earlier this year SNH ran a schools competition that focused on non-native species in Scotland. The results were judged at the ‘Celebration of Science’ organised by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry. First prize went to Primary 6 and 7 pupils from Cromarty Primary School, and their teacher Cath Milne explains how the project gripped the imagination of her class. At Cromarty Primary School on the Black Isle (just north of Inverness) we relish the opportunity to take learning outside, so this competition seemed perfect. The P6/7s use the nearby Links (a large grassy common) and shore regularly for a range of activities from across the curriculum. These include measuring and mapping, animal and plant identification, problem solving, tree planting, environmental art and litter picks.

This competition, however, was an exciting chance to involve the children in a ‘real’ research project, engaging with the local area and community. The brief stated that we had to research the non-native species present in the Highlands before focusing on one species, then look at distribution and monitoring data, and use this information in a public awareness campaign.

The importance of outdoor learning is recognised and valued by the Scottish Government. In fact, the Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning states that the journey through education for any child in Scotland must include opportunities for a series of planned, quality outdoor learning experiences.

Initially we brainstormed the meaning of non-native and native, before identifying the main non-native species in the Highlands. The class were quick to decide that they would like to study the mink, particularly when they realised that four of the other non-native species were plants (Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed, rhododendron and giant hogweed).

Initial study of the mink was on the internet – researching the lifestyle and habitats, along with the environmental problems associated with them. The children asked questions at home and discovered that several parents had seen mink in Cromarty and that there had been a mink farm a few miles away in Munlochy.

One of the class phoned Lyn Brydon from the Mink Initiative, who was extremely helpful. She visited the school bringing a stuffed mink, with which the children posed for photos and she leased us a mink raft which we (with great excitement) deployed in a local burn. We visited the raft regularly checking for footprints in the wet clay pad and controlling surrounding vegetation (as well as ‘guddling’ for beasties, crawling under the bridge and generally having a splashing time!).

Luckily, however, we didn’t find signs of mink, as the children presumed that if we caught one it would be sent First Class back to America to live happily ever after.

The class chose to work in three groups on different public awareness campaigns. One group wrote a rap in the style of Brett Domino, which ‘premiered’ in front of the judges, another made a TV commercial, and the third created a webpage for the school website. All of which were fantastic, and the project clearly showed what a great deal of knowledge the children had picked up.

It was very hard to choose only four of the class to take to the event at Eden Court Theatre in March 2013 — they had all been so involved and motivated. The selected four created a PowerPoint presentation, gathered all their resources, tested each other’s knowledge, and then headed for Inverness. They did very well indeed and were delighted to win the first prize of £200.

On the way home they talked of purchasing chocolate fountains and hot tubs! However, the money has been spent on identification books and spare outdoor clothing ready for our next project.

School of thought 1 The non-native American mink is a prolific hunter.

2 Four of the winning pupils from Cromarty.

2

1


Bumblebees in the balance

1 A queen garden bumblebee, Bombus hortorum, feeding on bluebells.

Bumblebees are resilient little creatures. This spring was one of the coldest on record, and new queens emerging from hibernation were faced with temperatures not much above freezing right through April. This must have led to the demise of many, and as a result there were few worker bees to be seen through the spring, but as soon as the warm weather finally arrived in July their numbers bounced back, and thereafter there were plenty of the common species to be seen in our parks and gardens.

We shouldn’t be surprised. Bumblebees have been around for 30 million years or so, and have seen ice ages come and go, so they ought to be able to cope with a cold spell. Indeed, they can probably cope with cold weather better than most insects for they can fly when the air temperature is close to freezing by using heat from their flight muscles to keep themselves warm.

Future climate change is likely to result in increasingly extreme and unpredictable weather events, but if this was the only problem bees faced then they might cope with it pretty well. Unfortunately this is not the only issue. Modern farming leaves little room for flowers, and so their food supply was massively reduced in the twentieth century as hay meadows and hedgerows were swept away, and crop rotations involving clover leys were abandoned. The ability of bumblebees to remain active in cold weather is dependent on an abundant supply of sugar-rich nectar to fuel them; without enough flowers, they become torpid, unable to fly, and are doomed.

Factory-reared bumblebees

In addition, tens of thousands of factory-reared bumblebee nests are shipped into Scotland from Europe each year for raspberry and strawberry pollination, and recent research has shown that these nests carry a range of infectious bee diseases. Movement of domesticated bees has resulted in the accidental introduction of new parasites such as Nosema ceranae from Asia, a disease that affects both honeybees and bumblebees.

In 2006 Professor Dave Goulson founded the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, a charity devoted to reversing bumblebee decline. As he explains they face many challenges but we can give them a helping hand.


2 The very rare great yellow bumblebee, Bombus distinguendus, survives only in the most remote regions of Scotland.

3 Apples are one of many crops that benefit from pollination by wild bees.

2

On top of this, systemic neonicotinoid insecticides have become widely used in the last 20 years, and are now suspected of causing all sorts of sublethal effects in bees including impairing their ability to navigate and learn how to gather food, and making them more susceptible to diseases. Bees living on farmland are simultaneously exposed to small amounts of dozens of different toxic chemicals, with poorly understood consequences for their health.

If all this were not enough, the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is probably on its way to Britain – this large wasp, which feeds primarily on bees, was accidentally introduced to Bordeaux from Asia in 2004, and has been advancing steadily across Europe ever since, arriving in Paris in 2012. Perhaps Britain’s inclement and unpredictable weather will help to repel this new invader.

Arrival of the tree bumblebee By chance, in 2001 Professor Goulson caught the first tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) recorded in Britain, at a site in the New Forest, Hampshire. This species loves gardens – it particularly favours nesting in tit boxes, and can even oust nesting blue tits. It has been spreading north ever since, and in June 2013 the first one was recorded in Scotland, in Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire. So far as we know, this is a natural range expansion and is doing no harm, other than to the poor blue tits.

Bumblebee food supply was massively reduced in the 20th century

Given all this, the fact that there are any wild bees left in Scotland is a testament to their toughness. Half-starved, infected with disease, battered by the fickle weather, and disoriented by poisoning with insecticides, it is a miracle that there are any left at all.

Alarming declines

Sadly, although some bumblebee species remain reasonably common, others have declined. Some have gone extinct in the UK, while others, such as the great yellow bumblebee (Bombus distinguendus) cling on in remote regions such as the Hebrides where farming is less intensive. This is alarming, because of course we need bees. Bumblebees are major pollinators of many crops, including, for example, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, apples, runner beans and so on.

How we can help

The biggest single problem is a lack of flowers for them to feed on, and we can all help. Gardens have already become a hotspot for bumblebees, providing a haven from the flowerless, pesticide-treated farmland. There is evidence that suburban populations of bumblebees are far more dense than those on farms, and that bumblebees spill over from suburban areas to boost pollination of farmland crops. However, we can make our gardens better.

For a start, forget annual bedding plants such as busy lizzies and begonias – they are useless for insects, lacking nectar and pollen or having an unnatural structure which makes their rewards inaccessible. Instead, grow some old-fashioned cottage garden plants such as lavender, aquilegia, sage, thyme, comfrey and so on, and

Globally, three-quarters of the crops we grow are pollinated by insects of one sort or another, predominantly bees, and the large majority of this pollination is delivered by wild bees, not by domesticated honeybees or factory-reared bumblebees. And of course the majority of wild flower species depend on wild bees for pollination. Bees need our help, and we need them, so it is time to act.

you will immediately provide your local bees with a food boost.

Even plants in a windowbox will attract and feed bees. Of course don’t spray your flowers with pesticides – if you have a few aphids, live with it – before long a ladybird or lacewing will come along to eat them. If you haven’t got a garden, badger your local council to stop cutting road verges, roundabout and parks every five minutes. Encourage them to sow some wildflowers – the On the Verge campaign in Stirling has so far created nearly 50 such patches of flowers on publicly owned land.

If we give them enough food, our wild bees will stand a chance of coping with everything else that we throw at them. There is plenty that we can all do, right on our doorstep, and the time to start is now.

3


Title / Name

Organisation, if applicable

Previous address

Town Postcode

Email

Title / Name

Organisation, if applicable

New address

Town Postcode

Email

The Nature of ScotlandWe hope you enjoyed this issue of our FREE magazine.We are increasing our production of more sustainable communications materials, and greener alternatives, and with this in mind our subscription list is now closed but you can enjoy our magazine online at the SNH website. If you are on our mailing list and your address has changed, then please spend a moment filling in this form.You just need to pop the form in an envelope and post – no stamp required.

I’m on the mailing list but my contact details have changed

I’d like to receive your e-newsletter, please add my name to the subscriber list

Please remove me from the magazine mailing list

Please tick one of the following and then fill in your contact details:

Please send the completed form to:

Customer Relations Team Scottish Natural Heritage, Great Glen HouseFREEPOST RRBY-UACB-EGAY Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NW

If you’d prefer to email any changes to your contact details, please send them to: [email protected]

SNH and your information

SNH holds your contact details on our Customer Database. We hold customer information relating to the services we provide, including: publications, grant funding, events, consultations, licences, management agreements and operational activities.

Where appropriate, we may use your information within SNH for other purposes, for example sending you our magazine, inviting you to an event or asking for your feedback.

We do not sell, rent or lease our customer information to third parties. We occasionally hire other companies to handle customer services on our behalf. These companies are provided only with the information they need to deliver the service and are not allowed to use it for any other purpose. SNH will not routinely disclose your personal information to other organisations. However, we will, where appropriate, share your information with other public bodies in Scotland that are involved in delivering services to you, such as the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Under the terms of the 1998 Data Protection Act you have the right to object to the use of your data for any non-statutory purposes.

66 The Nature of Scotland

www.snh.gov.uk

scottish natural heritage autumn / winter 2013 the … meagaidh revival reserve bumblebees...

Documents